Indian cricket fans can rejoice as Jasprit Bumrah, the pace sensation, is all set to make his comeback in the blue jersey, leading the side in the upcoming three-match T20I series against Ireland, starting from August 18.
This will not be the first time Bumrah takes up the captaincy role, as he previously led the Indian team in a one-off Test match in England last summer.
Bumrah’s journey has not been without challenges, as he has been grappling with a recurring back injury since September 2022. The last time he donned the Indian colors was during the T20I bilateral series against Australia at home. Unfortunately, he encountered the same back injury during the India tour of England in July 2022, which forced him to miss out on two months of cricket.
The pain resurfaced ahead of the India-South Africa series, leading to his absence from the T20I World Cup in Australia. Subsequently, he was sidelined from competitive cricket, including the IPL 2023 and the World Test Championship Final.
During his recovery period, the 29-year-old spent time at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), where the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) closely monitored his progress. Their belief in his readiness led to his inclusion in the squad to play a pivotal role in India’s white ball team for the upcoming Asia Cup and ODI World Cup, both scheduled to be held at home.
Apart from Bumrah’s return, Prasidh Krishna is also making a comeback to the Indian squad. The talented pacer last played for India during the ODI series against Zimbabwe last year.
The India squad for the T20I series in Ireland comprises :-
Jasprit Bumrah (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan
As the cricketing world eagerly awaits Bumrah’s return, all eyes will be on the ace pacer to see him lead the Indian team with his lethal bowling and tactical acumen once again. The hope and expectations from the fans are high, as they look forward to witnessing the triumphant return of one of India’s finest fast bowlers in action.