FILE PHOTO: Cricket - ICC T20 World Cup 2024 - Final - India v South Africa - Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados - June 29, 2024 India's Jasprit Bumrah in action bowling REUTERS/Ash Allen/File Photo
(Reuters) - India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy after failing to recover from a lower back injury in time for the tournament, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) announced on Tuesday.
Bumrah, the highest wicket-taker in the recent test series with Australia which India lost 3-1, had back spasms during the final test in Sydney last month, which also ruled him out of a five-match T20 international series with England.
His absence will be a major blow to India, with the 31-year-old widely considered one of the best all-format fast bowlers in the sport.
"Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury. The men’s selection committee has named Harshit Rana as Bumrah’s replacement," the BCCI said in a statement.
Rana has played two ODIs, both of which came against England this month, picking up four wickets.
The BCCI added that spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who took 14 wickets in a five-match Twenty20 series against England in January and February, would replace batter Yashasvi Jaiswal.
India are in Group A in the Champions Trophy and meet Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20, before taking on defending champions and rivals Pakistan and ending their group campaign against New Zealand.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Toby Davis)
