BCCI picks Jasprit Bumrah's replacement for IND vs AFG T20Is (Source: AFP)India and BCCI must be keeping a close eye on Jasprit Bumrah's fitness ahead of the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Bumrah, along with Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana, is set to undergo match simulation tests between September 4 and 9. The players are expected to prove their match fitness before the Indian team assembles in Delhi on September 10.With uncertainty surrounding Jasprit Bumrah's availability, the BCCI has already started preparing for all possible situations.According to a recent report in The Times of India, the BCCI has identified a potential backup option if Bumrah is unable to play and is unavailable for the the IND vs AFG T20I series.Also Read: Ajit Agarkar's Selection Committee Kept In The Dark On Jasprit Bumrah, Complaints EmergeAfghanistan will host India in a three-match T20I series from September 13 to 17, with all three games scheduled at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in New Delhi.BCCI Keeps Prince Yadav Ready As Jasprit Bumrah's BackupIt is important to mention that BCCI has locked in Prince Yadav as Jasprit Bumrah's backup if he is not declared fit for the IND vs AFG T20I series.Prince Yadav also faced a setback when he suffered a hamstring injury during the second T20I against Zimbabwe on July 25. He has since recovered and has reportedly been declared fit by the CoE.“The BCCI medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) had shared a report with selectors last week, where it was mentioned that these four players were clinically fit but had to be assessed in practice matches. The CoE has lined up the matches from Sept 4–9. The CoE is confident that the players should be ready for the Afghanistan series,” a BCCI source said.“It is learnt that he has been declared fit by the CoE and is available for selection. Prince has been doing well in T20Is since this year’s IPL and the selectors see him as a serious prospect going forward.” according to TOI.Why Prince Yadav is the frontrunner to replace Jasprit BumrahPrince Yadav's performances in T20 cricket since this year's IPL have also impressed the selectors. The team management reportedly considers him a strong candidate to step in, if required, for the IND vs AFG T20I series.In the IPL 2026, the right-arm bowler played for Lucknow Super Giants in 14 innings and bagged 26 wickets at an economy rate of 8.83. He last featured for the Men in Blue on the India tour of Zimbabwe 2026, taking four wickets in two innings at an economy rate of 5.44.The young bowler, so far in 2026, has featured in 6 matches and has taken 9 wickets at a bowling average of 18.78 and an economy rate of 8.31.Jasprit Bumrah to play First-Class cricket before New Zealand seriesOne thing that needs to be mentioned here is that BCCI is taking a cautious approach with Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness ahead of the Test series in New Zealand. The ace fast bowler is expected to play a First-Class (FC) game before returning to Test cricket, as the team wants to make sure his knee can cope with the demands of a long red-ball match.“As it is, he has to skip Test matches because of his fitness. One has to be clear that his knee can take the load of a first-class game before he takes the field in a Test in New Zealand. It needs to be seen if he plays a Ranji Trophy game or a first-class game for India ‘A’ in New Zealand. He is likely to be rested for the T20I series against West Indies at home in October. But the ‘A’ games in New Zealand overlap with the ODI series there,” a source said to TOI.It is worth noting that Bumrah has not featured in a red-ball game since the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati last November.Also Read: Windhoek Pitch Report, Weather Report For South Africa vs Namibia, Match 6, Namibia T20I Tri-Series 2026
