India's fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is expected to remain a member of the Champions Trophy squad as he prepares to commence his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. This follows an evaluation conducted by the medical team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Bumrah sustained a back injury earlier last month during the concluding Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series held in Sydney.

As reported by the Times of India, the findings from Bumrah's scans were reviewed internally, and the 31-year-old is set to initiate his rehabilitation process within the next couple of days, which will include "some gym work, even light bowling."

BCCI to take 'Hardik Pandya' route for Bumrah

The selectors are facing a time constraint in making a final decision regarding Bumrah's participation in the Champions Trophy, as the ICC has established February 12 as the deadline for finalizing each team's squad. Nevertheless, reports indicate that the BCCI remains unconcerned about the limited time available, as they are willing to adopt a wait-and-see approach, similar to their strategy when all-rounder Hardik Pandya sustained an ankle injury during the 2023 ODI World Cup.

According to a source familiar with the situation, "Even if there is only a 1% chance, the BCCI is likely to wait. They previously waited nearly two weeks before selecting Prasidh Krishna as a replacement for Hardik Pandya. While these incidents occurred during the tournament, the strategy regarding Bumrah may not differ significantly. This deadline is merely for submitting the squad, and they could later approach the Event Technical Committee to request a replacement should he fail to recover in time."

The BCCI has not yet provided an official update on Bumrah's injury status; however, India is preparing various options for the Champions Trophy. The ongoing ODI series against England has already seen the debut of fast bowler Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakravarthy has also been included in the squad, receiving his debut cap.

Read Also: Dimaag Kidhar Hai Tera?": Rohit Sharma Blasts Harshit Rana After Costly Overthrow

"Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!"