Ajit Agarkar unaware about Jasprit Bumrah's fitness | PC- AFP
Whenever Jasprit Bumrah returns from an injury, the star seamer becomes the darling of all media reports. As the BCCI announced the Indian T20I squad for three matches vs Afghanistan in New Delhi, Bumrah headlined it.
Bumrah, who last played a T20I nearly six months ago, is returning to the Indian side after a long rehab at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.
However, days after his selection for the IND vs AFG T20Is, a major report surfaced alleging Ajit Agarkar was clueless about his fitness.
Ajit Agarkar was unaware about Jasprit Bumrah's fitness days for IND vs SL Tests
According to Dainik Jagran, Team India's chief selector Ajit Agarkar was unaware about Jasprit Bumrah's fitness, even days before picking the squad for the Test series for two matches vs Sri Lanka.
Notably, Bumrah was initially picked in the Indian squad but was later replaced by the J&K ace pacer, Auqib Nabi. However, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna were the only two seam options unleashed in the Island nation.
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"Just days before selecting the team for the Sri Lanka tour, even the chief selector didn't know that Jasprit Bumrah wasn't fit. He had even sent an email about this," the report mentioned.
Such reports not only address the BCCI’s workload management but also expose the communication gap between the selectors and the CoE.
Jasprit Bumrah selected for IND vs AFG on condition, but certain to play
Indian prolific seamer, Jasprit Bumrah, played two ODIs in England in July earlier this year, before being ruled out of the final match at Lord's with a left knee injury.
After missing the T20Is in Zimbabwe and the Sri Lanka Tests, the 32-year-old is expected to make a comeback in the three-match T20Is vs Afghanistan, later in September.
Although he is named in the Indian T20I squad alongside Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Harshit Rana, with astric after his name, the BCCI national selectors are confident of Bumrah's fitness this time around.
The case remains the same for all-rounder Reddy, who has been out of action since the ODIs vs Afghanistan. However, it isn't the same for Rana and Sundar.
Jasprit Bumrah’s workload to be crucial before 2027 WC
With the ODI World Cup 2027 being the next mega event on Team India’s radar, Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness and workload management must be the top priority for the team management and the Indian board.
Bumrah, who carries the entire bowling attack on his shoulders across formats, is going to be India’s X-Factor in the South African conditions.
However, the think tank would need to build its backups, alongside managing its workload ahead of the marquee event. That said, the Indian selectors are grooming young guns like Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna and Prince Yadav for the same cause.
The ODI World Cup 2027, scheduled for South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, will be the biggest ICC tournament of all time, with Team India, along with the top eight-ranked teams, playing at least 11 matches before the semi-finals.
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