The calendar may have changed from 2022 to 2023, but some things in Indian cricket remain the same. The confusion over the fitness status of lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah existed for the second half of last year, and the situation remained the same at the start of 2023 as well. Last year, he also made a comeback during the home series against Australia but was ruled out again after a couple of games. As a result, he eventually missed out on India’s T20 World Cup campaign.
After initially not being picked in the Indian squad for the one-day series against Sri Lanka at home, he was added to the squad as a last-minute replacement. And then, on the eve of the one-day series, it was announced that Bumrah had been ruled out as a precautionary measure. The entire situation surrounding the Indian fast bowler’s status has greatly embarrassed Indian cricket. The team management and selectors are desperate to get Bumrah back, but the bowler is not yet ready for the hard grind. So what else can explain his selection then being ruled out not once but twice?
Lack of clarity hurting Indian cricket’s image
Team India skipper Rohit Sharma tried to do some damage control at the pre-series press conference against Sri Lanka, explaining that Bumrah had been working hard at the NCA and got back to full fitness. But a few days before, the Sri Lanka ODIs felt stiffness in his back. Hence, the decision was taken to pull him out of a series. While one can understand that Bumrah is hugely significant to Indian cricket, the lack of clarity over the entire situation is visible. Either a player is fit or unfit. And if he is fully fit and experiences pain within a couple of days again, questions are bound to be asked about his rehabilitation procedure.
As per some media reports, Bumrah is set to miss the white ball series against New Zealand and most of the Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia, as he will need at least another month of rehabilitation for stiffness. There has yet to be an official word about it, further adding to the already existing confusion. Cricket fans ought to know the status of their players and BCCI and the team management would do well to put together a more robust system in place. With no official word over Bumrah’s return and recovery, the media seems to be playing a guessing game.
What’s happening with Ravindra Jadeja?
Not just Bumrah, there is no proper update on all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s rehabilitation status. The cricketer has been out of action after suffering a freak knee injury during the Asia Cup in the UAE last year. He underwent knee surgery, missed the entire T20 World Cup campaign and remains on the sidelines. Similar to the Bumrah situation, Jadeja was initially selected for the Bangladesh tour and subsequently ruled out. This seems to be becoming a bit of a trend in Indian cricket.
According to some media reports, Jadeja has returned to National Cricket Academy for a fitness test. After that, he will undergo the mandatory Yo-Yo and DEXA tests. And, if he is deemed fit, he could return for the ODI series against New Zealand at home. But, again, there has been little communication over Jadeja since he was out due to an injury. It is understandable if the board doesn’t want to rush players back into the game. Both Bumrah and Jadeja are key members of the team. But the problem remains over the lack of transparency in dispensing out information.
All this brings us to the big question – who exactly is calling the shots in Indian cricket? Is it BCCI chief Roger Binny, head coach Rahul Dravid or skipper Rohit Sharma? That is another confusing situation in itself!