Jasprit Bumrah’s priorities: At least 3 Tests vs Australia, WTC final, ODI World Cup | Cricket News – Times of India

Board makes exception, lets star pacer decide when he is 100% ready to play
NEW DELHI: Indian cricket is forever on the edge when it comes to Jasprit Bumrah‘s fitness. Six days after the selectors had added him to the ODI squad for the home series against Sri Lanka, Bumrah was pulled out of the series on the eve of the first match in Guwahati.
This series was going to mark his comeback after being ruled out of action since last September due to a back injury. Bumrah got injured after the tour of England last July and his return was hampered by playing two T20Is against Australia in September.

TOI understands BCCI has decided to be ultra-cautious with Bumrah and made an exception by letting him decide his comeback match.
“Bumrah has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka. Bumrah, who was set to join the team in Guwahati ahead of the ODI series, will need some more time to build bowling resilience. This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure,” BCCI said in a statement on Monday.
It is learnt that the board has been in constant touch with Bumrah and he has been given the assurance that he won’t be rushed like it was done before the T20 World Cup. “It’s his body and Bumrah is the best judge of it. He was named in the squad but it was never imposed on him that he must play this series. It has been left to him to decide if he is absolutely ready to go full throttle in an international game,” a BCCI source said.
“The poor guy has been working really hard at the NCA. He felt stiffness in hisback a couple of days ago. If Bumrah is saying he is not feeling well, you have to pull him out. We need to be extra careful with Bumrah,” India’s ODI captain Rohit Sharma said in Guwahati on Monday.

Sources said that the board, team management and selectors are not bothered if Bumrah doesn’t play round the year as they want him fit for crucial events.
“As things stand now, he has been told that the team needs him for the Test series at home against Australia next month. He has been asked to prepare himself to play at least three Tests against Australia, be available for the World Test Championship Final in June if India qualify, and then the ODI World Cup in India in Oct-Nov this year. A few ODI matches before the World Cup can also suffice,” the source said.
Recently, the BCCI had announced that players will have to come through domestic cricket if they are to make themselves available for Team India. “Bumrah is an exception. He is too good a bowler and doesn’t need much time to hit his stride. Opponents are always wary of him. He will be played only if he feels 100 per cent about himself,” the source added.