Anurag Kumar
The bat of Rohit Sharma Team India’s preparations for the ICC World Cup 2023 have received a significant lift with the return of Jasprit Bumrah in the Ireland series. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday announced a 15-member squad for India’s upcoming tour of the United Kingdom (UK). The Indian fast bowler will make his triumphant return to international cricket as captain in the August series. This will be Bumrah’s second opportunity to captain India, having previously lead the team against England in the rescheduled fifth Test at Edgbaston last year.
Bumrah, who missed the entire Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, Asia Cup 2022, and T20 World Cup, was believed to be in the final phases of his recovery as videos of him bowling at full speed in the nets began to circulate on social media and the internet. Bumrah was rehabilitating at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) after undergoing surgery in New Zealand for a lower back stress fracture earlier this year. BCCI’s monumental announcement regarding Bumrah’s return followed board secretary Jay Shah’s hints that the star pacer will be a part of the Indian team for the three T20 Internationals.
Bumrah posted a video of himself bowling at maximum speed at the NCA to tease his long-awaited return in the World Cup year. The star pacer last appeared in an ODI in July 2022 and a T20I against Australia in September of last year, where he had a forgettable outing and posted his worst T20I figures (0/50). After being compelled to sit out the T20 World Cup in Australia, Bumrah’s inclusion in India’s T20I squad against Sri Lanka offered a glimmer of hope. Yet, the BCCI decided at the eleventh hour to withdraw him, indicating that he was still in the process of regaining optimum fitness.
Bumrah is not the only India pacer to return to a squad with some surprising omissions and some welcome additions. Prasidh Krishna, who, like Bumrah, has been sidelined for nearly a year due to a lumbar stress fracture, makes his long-awaited return; he last appeared in a Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe in August 2022. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s continued absence from India’s T20I squad is unsurprising, but the absence of Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill has resulted in a slightly different appearance for the team. Notably, Hardik, who has been leading India unofficially in T20Is, has been permitted a well-deserved rest. Gill, on the other hand, has been playing cricket nonstop for the past year, necessitating a break to recharge.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been designated the deputy captain, will assist Bumrah in his captaincy duties. In the absence of batting stalwarts Rohit and Kohli, India has turned to the youthful brigade, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, and Jitesh Sharma, to rise to the occasion. The series will begin on the 18th of August, followed by games on the 20th and 23rd.
Bumrah missed India’s entire home season
This year, Bumrah missed India’s entire home season due to a 10-month injury layoff. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy match between India and Australia was played without the 29-year-old quick bowler. Although Bumrah was included in India’s squad for the Sri Lanka series, the pacer was unable to play due to back discomfort. The pacer was unavailable for the final of the World Test Championship and India’s entire tour of the Caribbean.
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India’s squad for Ireland series:
The members of the Indian cricket team are as follows: Jasprit Bumrah (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, W Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arsh
