Ponting, Shastri share their stance on Bumrah Champions Trophy risk
Ricky Ponting and Ravi Shastri believe the potential absence of India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will significantly weaken the side’s prospects at the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.
Bumrah had a sensational 2024, and took home the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year as well as the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year at the ICC Awards 2024. It was the culmination of a year in which he played a key role as India secured the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
However, the 31-year-old suffered back spasms in the Sydney Test against Australia in January, and hasn’t played for India since. He has been included in India’s initial squad for the Champions Trophy, but concerns around his fitness remain.
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Notably, Bumrah is not in India’s squad for a three-match ODI series against England, which starts on Thursday.
Jasprit Bumrah after winning Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy | ICC Awards 2024
Former India head coach Shastri, speaking on The ICC Review, warned against rushing Bumrah back, despite the boost he would provide India’s Champions Trophy campaign.
“I think it's high risk. There's too much big cricket coming up for India,” he told Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review.
“And at this stage of his [Bumrah’s] career, I think he's too precious to be just called on for one game out of the blue and asked to deliver.
“The expectations will be so much. They'll think that he'll come in straight away and set the world on fire. It's never that easy when you come back from injury.”
Ricky Ponting on Jasprit Bumrah's status as the game's greatest | The ICC Review
Shastri added that Bumrah’s potential absence in the Champions Trophy would leave India with a massive hole to plug.
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“Bumrah not fit will reduce India's chances [of winning the Champions Trophy] by 30%, literally by 30-35%,” Shastri said.
“With a fully fit Bumrah playing, you are guaranteed of those death overs. It would’ve been a different ball game altogether.”
Ponting agreed, and believes the spotlight now shifts to Mohammed Shami, who made his return for India from injury in the ongoing limited-overs series against England.
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It was his first outing for India since the final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in November 2023.
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“My biggest concern about India when they came for Australia in the Test series was Bumrah not having Shami there as a backup and him having to burden most of the load,” Ponting said on The ICC Review.
“And that's probably what happened, and might even have something to do with why he [Bumrah] got hurt. He probably ended up having to bowl a bit more in that series with Shami not being there.
“So look, if Shami’s fit, that’s a positive.”
Shami featured in the third and fourth T20Is against England, returning 3/25 in his latest outing.
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Shastri said Shami’s fitness will be watched closely in the upcoming ODI series against England.
“It will be interesting to see if India play him out in all three, or they give him the first one and the third one, and then ease him into the Champions Trophy,” Shastri said.
“But he'll be watched very closely because 10 overs is totally different to four overs, and then you're going to see how he pulls up in the field as well having bowled those 10 overs.”
India begin their ICC Men’s Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai.