India’s stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, who left the SCG earlier on Saturday for medical scans, has returned to the stadium and rejoined his teammates in the dressing room.
The 29-year-old fast bowler was forced to leave the field on Day 2 of the ongoing Sydney Test after experiencing discomfort during the post-lunch session.
Following the incident, Bumrah sought immediate medical attention, with footage showing him exiting the ground shortly thereafter. Reports indicated that Bumrah was set to undergo scans to assess the severity of the injury.
Prior to his departure, Bumrah had bowled eight overs, including the key wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, and was just beginning a new spell when he was taken off the field. At the time, Bumrah had already bowled 151.2 overs across five Tests in the series, with only Australian pacer Pat Cummins (152 overs) having bowled more.
His considerable workload has raised concerns about the risks of overuse, especially given India’s heavy reliance on his pace attack in the absence of other key bowlers.
This injury scare follows a previous concern during the second Test in Adelaide, when Bumrah sought medical attention for discomfort near his groin area, though he was able to continue bowling without further issue.
With Bumrah being India’s most valuable asset in the ongoing series, fans will be hoping for a swift recovery as the team aims to maintain its momentum.
Throughout this series, Bumrah has been in exceptional form, claiming 32 wickets at an outstanding average of 13.06, making him the leading wicket-taker. His performance has also equalled Harbhajan Singh’s record for the most wickets by an Indian in a single Test series against Australia.
Rohit Sharma, speaking at the end of the Boxing Day Test, had previously acknowledged the risks of overbowling Bumrah and highlighted the importance of managing his workload carefully.
However, Bumrah’s career has been marred by several injuries. In 2018, a thumb injury during the India tour of England ruled him out of the white-ball series and the first two Tests.
In 2019, following India’s tour of the West Indies, he missed the home series against South Africa due to a lower back stress fracture, only returning during the New Zealand tour in early 2020.
During India’s last Test tour of Australia, Bumrah picked up an abdominal injury in the third Test in Sydney, forcing him to miss the fourth match in Brisbane. In July 2022, while touring England, he suffered a back injury, sidelining him for several months.
He made a return during the T20I series against Australia at home, but after two matches, he was again ruled out for 11 months due to another injury.
