Jasprit Bumrah has been added to India’s ODI squad for the three-match series against Sri Lanka after three months away from the national team. The pacer had been out of action since September due to a stress fracture in his back, but has now been declared fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and will be joining the team soon.
Bumrah had been rehabilitating at the NCA in Bengaluru and is understood to have amped up his training and bowling over the past week. His inclusion in the ODI squad comes after the selectors deemed his recovery satisfactory.
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Bumrah’s return is a welcome one for India as they prepare for the 2023 ODI World Cup, which will be held in India this October-November. There is also a chance that India could have a World Test Championship final to play in June, following the Indian Premier League (IPL), depending on the result of the home Test series against Australia.
The pacer’s inclusion in the ODI squad means that India have a near full-strength pace attack for the series against Sri Lanka, with Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, and seam-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya all in the mix.
The team management is reportedly keen on Bumrah building his way back to full rhythm in a match environment ahead of the four-Test series against Australia in February. India will play three ODIs against Sri Lanka on January 10, 12, and 15, following the three-T20I series that begins on January 3.
India’s squad for Sri Lanka ODIs: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-capt), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.