India's stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah didn't take the field on Day 3 of the ongoing fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, with the Indian camp stating he was dealing with 'back spasms.' However, there are growing doubts about the severity of his injury, as former Australia captain Ricky Ponting suggested that the 'back spasms' explanation might be a cover-up.

Bumrah left the ground on Day 2 and was taken to the hospital by ambulance, reportedly for a scan. But senior journalist Peter Lalor shared on Sunday morning that Bumrah actually went to the hospital for an injection, noting that the Indian team had scanning equipment available at the SCG. "My sources say he didn't go for a scan," Lalor mentioned on Channel 7. “They have scanning machines in the dressing rooms. He went for an injection. Probably Cortisone.”

Bumrah had surgery in 2023 for a stress fracture in his back, so India is likely being extra careful with this latest issue, especially with the Champions Trophy coming up in a month. "He had a back spasm," teammate Prasidh Krishna told reporters after Day 2 in Sydney. "He has gone for scans, and the medical team is keeping an eye on him. We'll find out if he’ll continue playing once the medical team updates us."

Ponting is worried that Bumrah's injury might be more serious than it seems

Bumrah didn't even bowl during the warm-up on Day 3 in Sydney, which led Ponting to think that the Indian team might not be completely honest about his injury. "It really raised some concerns for me," Ponting mentioned on Channel 7. "They mentioned back spasms when he returned to the SCG.

"But he's running up the stairs and left the field without any issues. That doesn't really match up with back spasms. I'm hoping for the best and really want to see him back in action for this game, rather than being sidelined for a long stretch like he was with those stress fractures a couple of years back."

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