Room for recovery

Bumrah's dangerous bowling action and BCCI's unprofessional workload management have forced the formidable pacer to undergo back surgery; he should be given ample time to heal after he returns from Auckland

- S KANNA

One has to sympathise with Jasprit Bumrah for the painful condition he now is in. Rushed into a comeback last year for an inconsequential O bilateral series at home after sustaining a back injury in the one-off Birmingham Test in July, the speedster has been rendered hors de combat.

As days grew into weeks and months, there is, finally, news emerging he will need a back surgery. The very thought of a surgical intervention on the back sends shivers down the spine of any patient.

And for someone like Bumrah, this has become essential. His return to cricket has been much anticipated.

There were hints that he would come back for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series against Australia, or the ODIS later. All that has turned out to be fiction as Bumrah is in no condition to play.

The BCCI, which has the worst PR system in place, has not bothered to provide regular updates on what has been the fast bowler's fitness status. So, all the speculation on Bumrah making a return in the high-profile Indian Premier League (IPL) the annual club cricket T20 extravaganza - was hogwash. The latest one hears is that Bumrah will be flown to New Zealand, according to Cricbuzz, where he will be operated upon. The name of the surgeon is mentioned as Rowan Schouten, a leading back and hip surgeon with excellent credentials in Auckland.

He has handled many sports persons before, including famous fast bowlers like Jofra Archer and Shane Bond. Bond is now the bowling coach of Mumbai Indians. The BCCI may have dragged its feet on what to do with the fast Indian bowler, whose bowling action was considered "risky" as it put pressure on the back. One has only read several reports that the NCA - National Cricket Academy - in Bengaluru has been monitoring the fitness and rehab of all athletes who get injured, including Bumrah.