Jasprit Bumrah will be unavailable for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 match against Nepal on Monday, September 4. The news comes as Bumrah has left the Indian team camp in Kandy and returned to Mumbai, a decision made to be by his wife Sanjana Ganesan's side as they eagerly await the arrival of their first child.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) clarified that Bumrah's absence is not due to any injury concerns, but rather a personal reason. A BCCI official mentioned to News18, “Bumrah is heading to Mumbai for personal reasons. It is not an injury concern or anything else and he will rejoin the squad for the Super Four stage of the tournament.”
Also Read: Lockie Ferguson to lead New Zealand ODI team vs Bangladesh
While Bumrah's absence will be felt, the Indian team management has the experienced Mohammed Shami as a ready replacement for the Nepal encounter. Shami's presence provides the team with a strong alternative, ensuring that the team's pace attack remains formidable.
Jasprit Bumrah, a big miss
The silver lining in this situation is that Bumrah's absence will only be for the Nepal match, and he is expected to rejoin the team in preparation for the Super Four stage of the tournament. This news is a reassurance for Indian cricket fans who are looking forward to seeing Bumrah back in action as soon as possible.
Interestingly, the venue for the Asia Cup 2023 Final and the Super Four matches might be shifted from Colombo to Pallekele due to heavy rain and floods that disrupted the India-Pakistan game. The ongoing matches in Pallekele are also under the threat of rain, making the situation quite unpredictable.
READ: Rohit Sharma praises Pakistan
A similar rain threat looms over the India-Nepal game scheduled at the same venue on Monday. The weather forecast suggests a high chance of precipitation, which could potentially impact the match. If the weather plays spoilsport and the match gets washed out, India would find themselves advancing to the Super Fours alongside arch-rivals Pakistan from Group A.
A washout that had some epic action 🤩
— ICC (@ICC) September 2, 2023
Which was your favourite moment from the #AsiaCup2023 clash between India and Pakistan? pic.twitter.com/4EoM3xqvKX
Jasprit Bumrah's recent comeback to international cricket has been remarkable. He returned to action during the T20I series against Ireland after an 11-month layoff due to a back injury. Bumrah's exceptional performance in the series, including his impactful opening spell, highlighted his significance as a key asset for India's cricketing ambitions, especially with the World Cup on the horizon.
As India readies itself to face Nepal without Bumrah, all eyes will be on the rest of the pace attack and how they fare against in his absence.
