Jasprit Bumrah, the India cricket captain, left the field midway through Day 2 of the New Year’s Test in Sydney, raising concerns over his fitness. After bowling just one over post-lunch, Bumrah was seen exiting the field at around 2 pm local time, accompanied by the team doctor. Reports indicate that Bumrah was not in his Test whites when he left the ground, suggesting he may have been taken for scans.
Bumrah’s workload on this tour had been a subject of concern prior to this incident. He had already bowled 152.1 overs across nine innings, taking 32 wickets at an impressive average of 13.06. His performance on this tour saw him surpass Bishan Bedi’s record for most wickets taken by an Indian bowler in Australia.
In the morning session, Bumrah had missed three out of the last five overs, only returning for the final two before lunch. However, his speeds appeared lower than usual, in the early 120s to low 130s kph. After his single over post-lunch, he left the field and was later seen leaving the Sydney Cricket Ground in a car.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma, who had opted to step down from the final Test due to his poor form, had expressed concerns about over-bowling Bumrah, especially after his high workload in the Melbourne Test. Rohit emphasized the importance of managing Bumrah’s bowling workload, stating that while Bumrah’s form was exceptional, it was crucial to give him breaks to avoid injury.
India’s chances of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy depend on winning the Sydney Test, but Bumrah’s fitness will be a key factor going forward. Bumrah had also missed much of 2022 recovering from a stress fracture of the back, adding further importance to his health in this series.
