Bumrah may be back for Ireland series

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who has been out of competitive cricket action since September last year due to a back injury, could return to the international cricket arena during the T20I series against Ireland in August. As per a report in Cricbuzz, Indian team management is targeting the three T20Is against Ireland, set to be held on August 18, 20 and 23, to get Bumrah back in “The ultimate target, of course, is to have him up to speed for the World Cup in October-November through the Asia Cup in September preceding it. However, before utilising him in the 50-over games, the Indian think-tank wants to test the waters in the T20s,” it said. Bumrah has been out of competitive cricket since late September last year, when he pulled out of the home T20Is against South Africa, after playing in two games against Australia. The re-occurrence of back injury resulted in him missing the Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia. He had also missed the Asia Cup held last year in the UAE. The pacer attempted a comeback in January this year for the ODI series against Sri Lanka. But he was withdrawn on the eve of the ODI series opener at Guwahati, with the BCCI citing the need for him to build bowling resilience, and calling the decision as a precautionary measure. He then underwent a back surgery in New Zealand in March and has been on recovery route since then at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. “The Ireland series aligns with the plan of the Indian team, the selectors, his handlers at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), and BCCI, who collectively want him to return to match-play slowly and gradually, starting with four-over games,” added the report. It further said word is going around that Bumrah has made a 70 percent recovery, with the think-tank not only hopeful but also optimistic that he will be ready for the games in Dublin.