Picture Credit: Twitter
Team India dealt with a major blow on Thursday as reports hinted that premium fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is likely ruled out of the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia due to a back injury. The development came as a major shock for Men in Blue as the senior quality all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has also been ruled out with a knee injury.
The 28-year-old recently participated in the last two T20Is against Australia on September 23 and 25 but looked far away from his best. He returned with the figures of 1 for 23 in the 2nd T20I and 0 for 50 in the final match of the bilateral contest. However, he missed the place in the first T20I match against South Africa on September 28 after complaining of back pain.
Meanwhile, an old video of former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has now gone viral on social media where he perfectly predicted the injury issue of Jasprit Bumrah. In conversation with one of the news anchor, Shoaib Akhtar said that Bumrah's bowling action is based on frontal action. "Players with that action bowl with their backs and shoulder speed. We used to side-on and that is a compensation. Front action has no compensation and with that action, when the back blows out, you can't escape it irrespective of how much you try," said Akhtar.
The legendary pacer further recalled watching Ian Bishop, and Shane Bond, who had formal actions. Suggesting the Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah to take some time off, former Pakistan cricketer opined, "Bumrah must take an off and attend rehab after playing one match. If you play him every match, in one year, he will completely break down. Play him three matches out of five and take him out. Bumrah will have to manage this one thing if he wants to last forever."
Earlier, Bumrah was diagnosed with a 'minor stress fracture in his lower back' in September 2019, that sidelined him for about three months. Speaking of T20 World Cup, India is in Group 2 in the Super 12 round of the T20 World Cup, along with Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh and two teams will join them from the qualifying round. India will begin their campaign against Pakistan at the MCG on October 23.