India's Pace Attack Suffers Another Blow as Key Bowler Joins Jasprit Bumrah at NCA, Ruled Out of White-Ball Tournament

New Delhi: Jasprit Bumrah, India's premier fast bowler, has been sidelined due to a back spasm following a grueling Australia tour. He was unable to bowl during the fourth innings of the Sydney Test as a precautionary measure. Bumrah's injury status remains uncertain as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 draws near. The pacer will be seeking medical advice from his personal physician before heading to the Centre of Excellence (formerly known as the National Cricket Academy) in Bengaluru for further assessment. Accompanying him at the facility will be his teammate, Akash Deep.

Akash Deep was sidelined from the final Test due to a back issue, leading to Prasidh Krishna’s inclusion in the squad. Deep will also miss the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 knockout match against Haryana on January 9 in Vadodara, where his Bengal teammate Abhimanyu Easwaran will feature. According to a report from ESPNCricinfo, the pacer has been ruled out of the remaining knockout stages of the domestic white-ball competition.

After India’s loss in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide Oval, Akash Deep stepped in for Harshit Rana. He bowled 77.5 overs in the Gabba and Melbourne Tests but only managed to claim five wickets at an average of 54. However, some believe that Deep was unlucky not to secure more wickets, as he bowled well during long spells.

The 28-year-old pacer has featured in seven Tests since replacing Mukesh Kumar in the squad, taking 15 wickets at an average of 35.20. Despite his efforts, he has yet to claim a four or five-wicket haul. Additionally, Deep has not yet made his debut in either T20Is or ODIs.

Bengal’s next Ranji Trophy clash:
The 2024-25 Ranji Trophy will continue on January 23, with Bengal facing Haryana in an Elite Group C match. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical team has yet to disclose the full details of Deep’s injury. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to play in the remaining Ranji Trophy fixtures for Bengal.

Where do Bengal stand in the ongoing Ranji Trophy:
Bengal currently occupy the third spot in Group C, having secured just one victory from five matches, accumulating 14 points. Their sole win came against Madhya Pradesh, marking the return of star pacer Mohammed Shami to competitive cricket after his rehabilitation. Shami made a strong comeback, claiming seven wickets in his first red-ball match.