Jasprit Bumrah breaks silence on his back injury after winning Player-of-the-Series award
India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who led the team in the fifth and final match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Sydney after regular sipper Rohit Sharma ‘opted out’, broke silence on his back injury on Sunday, as he rued missing out bowling on the “spiciest wicket” against Australia in the final innings. His comment came after he claimed the Player of the series award for emerging as the leading wicket-taker with 32 scalps.
“Sometimes you have to respect your body, you can’t fight your body. Disappointing, probably missed out on the spiciest wicket of the series,” said the 31-year-old in the post-match presentation after Australia secured a six-wicket win at the Sydney Cricket Ground to win the series decider and reclaim the trophy after 10 years.
When pressed when he realised the injury concern, Bumrah added: “Felt a bit of discomfort during my second spell in the first innings.”
Bumrah, who led the Indian team for the second time in the contest and third in Test career, had suffered the injury on day 2 of the fifth Test and was immediately taken to the hospital in an ambulance for a scan. His teammate Prasidh Krishna, speaking to reporters on Saturday, revealed that the pacer incurred back spasms.
Earlier on Sunday, injured Bumrah did walk out to bat after skipping the warm-up on Day 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but was dismissed for a three-ball duck. He did not take the field during Australia’s successful chase of 162.
Amid Bumrah’s absence, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting feared that the injury was a smoke screen after it was speculated that Bumrah’s trip to the hospital was to get an injection as a scanning machine was available to the Indian team at the SCG.
Bumrah had suffered a lower back injury that kept him out of cricket for nearly one year between 2022 and 2023. He had undergone a back surgery in March 2023.
India concede Border-Gavaskar Trophy series
It took Australia just 45 minutes to bowl out India for 157, as the tourists added only 16 runs to their overnight total with the loss of four wickets in 39.5 overs as the irrepressible Scott Boland ending with 6-45 and 10 wickets for the match.
In the absence of Bumrah, India, led by Virat Kohli, did produce a glimmer of hope after Prasidh Krishna snared three quick wickets, which included Steve Smith falling agonisingly one short of becoming only the 15th player and fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs.
But Usman Khawaja hit a composed 41 before Travis Head (34 not out) and debutant Beau Webster (39 not out) steered them home.
The win endured Australia will defend their World Test Championship title in the June final at Lord’s against South Africa.