Champions Trophy 2025: 'That's something...', India batting coach gives cryptic update on Jasprit Bumrah's fitness

Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak did not give out much information on Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness as uncertainty over the pacer’s participation in the 2025 Champions Trophy continues. The deadline for all teams to finalise their 15-member squads for the Champions Trophy is 12 February, and one of the issues that have been haunting the Men in Blue is that of Bumrah’s fitness .

Bumrah had sustained a back spasm during India’s fifth Test against Australia in Sydney in January, and the injury has kept him out of competitive action ever since. He has been named in India’s squad for the Champions Trophy but the BCCI is yet to officially announce an update on Bumrah. As a result, there are speculations that the BCCI medical team is under pressure to try and get Bumrah fit for the tournament.

‘That’s something that the physio would know’: Kotak on Bumrah’s fitness

The Champions Trophy will begin on 19 February, and India will play their first match against Bangladesh a day later in Dubai. “That’s something the physio would know,” Kotak said at the pre-match press conference ahead of the second India-England ODI. Following his injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Bumrah had been advised to take five weeks of rest to completely recover from the injury.

Bumrah finished the Australia series as the top wicket-taker with 32 scalps . Bumrah was also initially included in India’s ODI squad for the ongoing three-match series against England, but was mysteriously removed after spinner Varun Chakravarthy was included in the squad . Bumrah was expected to play the third ODI against England on Wednesday (12 February) but as of now, that seems unlikely.

India are in Group A for the Champions Trophy and will open their campaign with a match against Bangladesh on 20 February. Three days later, India will take on Pakistan and that match will be followed by their final group game against New Zealand on 2 March. India will play all their matches in Dubai.