Jasprit Bumrah’s absence in Champions Trophy will reduce India’s chances of winning 30-35%, reckons Ravi Shastri | Cricket News

Former India coach Ravi Shastri said that Jasprit Bumrah’s potential absence from the Champions Trophy will reduce India’s chances of winning it.
“Bumrah not fit will reduce India’s chances (of winning the Champions Trophy) 30%, literally 30-35%. With a fully fit Bumrah playing, you are guaranteed of those death overs. It would’ve been a different ball game altogether,” Shastri said on the ICC Review.
The ace pacer suffered back spasm in the 5th Test against Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy in January which ruled him out from bowling in the second innings. Although, he has been included in the squad for the Champions Trophy, his chances of playing will depend on the update that the sports science experts are expected to provide to the BCCI after which a call would be taken on the Champions Trophy.
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The pacer is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA and is not in the ODI squad for the three-match series against England beginning Thursday.
In the ICC Review, Shastri said that India shouldn’t rush the pacer back from injury.
“I think it’s high risk. There’s too much big cricket coming up for India. And at this stage of his career, I think he’s too precious to be just called on for one game out of the blue and asked to deliver. The expectations will be so much. They’ll think that he’ll come in straight away and set the world on fire. It’s never that easy when you come back from injury,” he said.

Bumrah, who had a sensational last year to claim the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year as well as the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year, played a pivotal role in India winning the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and the USA. He also claimed 32 wickets, the highest from both sides, in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Tests in Australia.
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