Bengaluru: India have been dealt a massive blow going into the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 with pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of the tournament with a back stress fracture.
"Medical team has ruled out fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad. The decision was taken following a detailed assessment and in consultation with the specialists," Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement.
The board will be naming a replacement for Bumrah in the squad for the marquee tournament soon.
The 28-year-old had picked up a back injury earlier last month, which had ruled him out of the Asia Cup.
He returned for the three-match T20I series against Australia, which India won 2-1, and picked up a wicket in two matches.
He was also named in India's squad for the subsequent white-ball series against South Africa, but he did not play the first T20I in Thiruvananthapuram after he complained of backache.
The decision was taken following a detailed assessment after he was ruled out of the South Africa T20Is.
Bumrah is the second senior player to miss the T20 World Cup for India with an injury after Ravindra Jadeja, who is recovering from knee surgery.
India had a poor showing in last year's T20 World Cup, failing to reach the semi-finals after they finished third in Group 2. Bumrah had a lukewarm tournament, picking up seven wickets in five matches at 13.57.
Bumrah's loss is a huge blow to India's hopes of improving on their showing last year. He is India's third-highest wicket-taker in men's T20Is with 70 scalps in 60 matches at 20.22, and his skill and accuracy with the yorker will be particularly missed in the death overs.
India's squad for the T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh
Reserve players: Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar (UNI)