FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Second Test - India v England - Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, India - February 3, 2024 India's Jasprit Bumrah reacts REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo
SYDNEY (Reuters) -India might be without captain Jasprit Bumrah for the remainder of the fifth test against Australia after he left the Sydney Cricket Ground for scans on a back problem on day two on Saturday.
The fast bowler, who has been by far the most influential player in the five-match series, left the ground with the India team doctor about an hour after the lunch break.
"He had a back spasm," his teammate Prasidh Krishna told reporters after play.
"He went for scans and the medical team is monitoring him, so we'll know whenever the medical team gets back to us.
"No matter who is leading us as a team, I think we're very well prepared as a bowling unit. The plan was pretty clear even when Bumrah was not there."
Krishna took three for 42 as India dismissed Australia for 181 on Saturday, but they were only 145 runs in front at the close of play with four wickets in hand, three if Bumrah is unable to bat.
His absence would be even more noticeable if Australia were chasing a relatively small victory target, given the skipper has taken 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 so far in the series.
"If he wasn't to be there, then India would have to come up with a new plan," said Australia coach Andrew McDonald.
"He's the leading wicket taker in the series, so you'd say that it would be slightly beneficial for us. He can bowl on any surface, anywhere. He's a threat anytime. We knew that, coming into the series, he's an incredibly talented bowler."
India, who dropped captain Rohit Sharma for the match and replaced him with Bumrah, need to win in Sydney to square up the series at 2-2 and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Sonali Paul)
