Bumrah breaks his silence after Champions Trophy 2025 exclusion; shares mirror selfie with message for fans

India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has finally broken his silence after being ruled out of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to a lower back injury. The star fast bowler took to Instagram on Thursday, sharing a mirror selfie from Bengaluru’s National Cricket Academy (NCA), accompanied by a cryptic one-word caption: “Rebuilding.”

In the photograph, Bumrah can be seen sporting a beige T-shirt, matching jacket, black shorts, and a brown cap as he snapped himself in front of a mirror. The post, which has already garnered significant attention from fans, comes just days after the BCCI officially confirmed his exclusion from the premier ICC tournament, putting an end to all speculation surrounding his participation.

On Tuesday, the BCCI announced that Bumrah had been ruled out of the Champions Trophy due to a stress-related lower back injury he sustained during the final Test against Australia in Sydney. The senior men’s selection committee named young pacer Harshit Rana as his replacement for the mega event, which is set to begin on February 19 in Pakistan. India will open their campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai under the hybrid model arrangement.

Also read: Bumrah's Champions Trophy 2025 omission raises eyebrows: Is IPL 2025 fitness for MI the real reason?

According to a top BCCI source, the decision to omit Bumrah was made after the NCA's medical team, led by head physio Thulasi and strength & conditioning coach Rajnikanth, submitted a report indicating that while the bowler had completed his rehabilitation, his match fitness remained uncertain.

“The report sent by NCA head Nitin Patel clearly states that while he has completed his rehab and his scan reports seemed fine, it couldn't be confirmed whether he would be bowling fit by the time the tournament starts. Hence, the selectors decided not to take the risk,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The BCCI was particularly cautious in handling Bumrah’s case, given the disastrous episode in 2022 when he was rushed back into action for a bilateral series against Australia before the T20 World Cup, only to break down again and miss nearly a year of cricket.

“The stakes are too high, and it would have been a complete embarrassment had Bumrah broken down during a crucial match. The NCA had already burnt their hands once, and this time, the selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, didn’t want to take any chances,” the source added.

While his Champions Trophy absence is a huge blow for Team India, sources indicate that Bumrah could make a return for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025. The selectors were reportedly reluctant to risk an unfit Bumrah for the ICC event but believe that he may be ready to bowl at full intensity in time for the T20 league, which begins in late March.

This has raised eyebrows among cricketing circles, with speculations rife that Bumrah and the management may be prioritizing IPL 2025 over national duties. However, fans remain hopeful that India’s ace pacer will be back at his best when the team tours England later this year.

India’s Squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Team India: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.

As the debate over Bumrah’s exclusion rages on, fans will be keeping a close watch on his recovery and potential return to action for Mumbai Indians. Meanwhile, India will look to bring home the Champions Trophy under Rohit Sharma’s leadership, despite missing their premier fast bowler.