Border-Gavaskar Trophy: India quick Jasprit Bumrah under injury cloud ahead of third Test at Gabba
There are question marks over the fitness of superstar India quick Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the third Test in Brisbane after he failed to train with teammates on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old, who tore through Australia in the Border-Gavaskar series opener in Perth, sent a scare through the touring camp when he required medical attention mid-spell in Adelaide.
During his 20th over, Bumrah grabbed at his inner thigh and immediately called for assistance in the middle of Adelaide Oval, which was later dismissed as cramp by India assistant Morne Morkel.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.He managed to play out the match, which India lost by 10 wickets, but was absent from the tourists’ net session this week ahead of their flight to Queensland.
Mohammed Siraj, who was fined 20 per cent of his match fee for a heated on-field exchange with Australia’s Travis Head, also missed the session, prompting concerns ahead of the Gabba Test.
Bumrah reportedly spent time with the team’s strength and conditioning coach away from the main group as other fast bowlers, including Harshit Rana, went full throttle in the net session.
With doubts around Bumrah’s availability, all eyes will be on Thursday’s main training session ahead of the toss in Brisbane on Saturday.
India captain Rohit Sharma said the world’s No.1 bowler, who has taken 12 wickets at an average of 11.25 in the opening two Tests, shouldn’t be exclusively relied on to defeat Australia.
“It’s a great thing to have someone like Bumrah but he’s not the only one who is going to get the job done every time,” he said.
“The other guys have to take that responsibility... there are times when Bumrah will not get wickets and the other guys need to step in.
“And that is how we talk within our batting group as well... share the responsibility. It’s not about just one individual or two individuals.
“If you want to win the Test match, the series, everyone needs to share that responsibility of putting their hand up and getting the job done.
“That is something I have seen within the group for many years now - it’s not the case now.”
The five-match series is level at 1-1, with the Gabba Test to be followed by the Boxing Day Test at the MCG and the New Year’s Test in Sydney in early January.
