Jasprit Bumrah likely to miss T20 World Cup

Pace ace all but ruled out of marquee event due to recurring back injuryNEW DELHI: India's T20 World Cup hopes suffered a big blow on Wednesday with pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah's back injury resurfacing in a big way, which is likely to force him to skip the marquee event in Australia in October. Indian cricket board (BCCI) sources told TOI that Bumrah had been released from the team which is currently playing against South Africa in a T20I series. This is the second injury setback for India ahead of the World Cup following Ravindra Jadeja's knee injury.

"As of now, he has been ruled out of the ongoing series. He has gone to the National Cricket Academy (in Bengaluru) for rehab. The team management wants a proper assessment of his injury to see if he can be fit for the World Cup. But the injury looks bad. It is suspected he is suffering from a stress fracture. It could be a long recovery," BCCI sources said. While the team management is still hopeful, Bumrah's chances of making it to the World Cup appear remote. India play their first World Cup match against Pakistan in Melbourne on October 23. TOI had reported on September 9 that BCCI was concerned about Bumrah's fitness despite the bowler having skipped the Asia Cup due to the same injury.

Bumrah, it is understood, was picked for the T20 World Cup and the two T20I series despite not attaining full fitness. The idea behind picking Bumrah was to gradually get him ready for the World Cup by playing him in the two series at home against Australia and South Africa. With Bumrah's history of back injury, it was always going to be touch and go. This is the third time the pacer has been sidelined with a back injury in his career.

"This has been a persistent problem with