Jasprit Bumrah was taken to a nearby hospital for scans after leaving the Sydney Cricket Ground by car, while Virat Kohli stepped in as India’s captain.
Virat Kohli assumed leadership duties as India’s stand-in captain after Jasprit Bumrah left the field with a niggle on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the SCG in Sydney. While the exact nature of Bumrah’s injury is unclear, it has been confirmed that the World’s No. 1 fast bowler departed the ground with the Indian team doctor for scans.
Visuals broadcast on Star Sports showed Jasprit Bumrah, dressed in his training kit, leaving the ground in a car and heading to a nearby city hospital.
What happened to Bumrah? What’s Bumrah’s injury update?
Bumrah first left the field on Saturday just before lunch but returned after the break to bowl one over before leaving again. Substitute fielder Abhimanyu Easwaran took his place. Before exiting, Bumrah had a quick chat with Kohli about his discomfort, after which Kohli took over as captain. He made swift bowling changes, with youngsters Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Kuma Reddy delivering key breakthroughs to bowl Australia out for 181, giving India a 4-run lead.
Bumrah’s injury could significantly impact the Test and series outcome. As India’s top strike bowler and stand-in captain, his absence is crucial, especially with regular skipper Rohit Sharma stepping aside due to poor batting form. It remains uncertain if Bumrah will bowl in the second innings.
At the Tea break, Star Sports anchor Mayanti Langer informed that it was, in all probability, a back injury for which Bumrah had undergone surgery a couple of years ago.
Bumrah in record books
Earlier in the day, Bumrah gave India a dream start by dismissing overnight batter Marnus Labuschagne early on Day 2 with a delivery that shaped away after pitched around the off stump.
That was Bumrah’s 32nd wicket of this Border-Gavaskar Trophy, taking him to the top of the wicket-takers list among Indian bowlers in Australia. He broke the legendary Bishan Singh Bedi’s long-standing record. The former left-arm spinner had taken 31 wickets in the 1977-78 season. BS Chandrasekhar had also picked up 28 wickets in the same series.
Bumrah had equalled Bedi by accounting for Usman Khawaja in what turned out to be the last ball of Day 1 after a fiery verbal battle with Sam Konstas.