Wed Feb 12 08:18:38 UTC 2025: **Bumrah ruled out of Champions Trophy 2025; Harshith Rana gets the nod**
**New Delhi, Feb 12, 2025:** Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the prestigious Champions Trophy 2025 due to a persistent back injury. The BCCI selection committee has chosen young bowler Harshith Rana as his replacement.
Bumrah, who sustained the injury towards the end of the Australia tour, has been unable to regain full fitness. Despite hopes that he might feature in the third ODI against England in Ahmedabad to prove his fitness, this did not materialize, leading to concerns about his recovery. His confinement to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru further fueled these doubts.
Yashasvi Jaiswal also missed out on a spot in the final squad, with spinner Varun Chakravarthy taking his place. Rohit Sharma will captain the team, with Shubman Gill as vice-captain.
Former cricketer Akash Chopra expressed concern over Bumrah’s absence, stating that Team India’s pace attack would be significantly weakened without him, potentially hindering their chances in the ICC tournament. Chopra also pointed out that several Indian pacers have not been at their best recently. He specifically highlighted Mohammed Shami’s struggle to regain top speed after recovering from injury, suggesting that Shami’s effectiveness is tied to maintaining a higher pace than his current form indicates.
The news of Bumrah’s exclusion comes amidst other cricket news including speculation about Virat Kohli’s dismissals and Rohit Sharma’s milestone approaches.
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