The BCCI Centre of Excellence has announced that Jasprit Bumrah is match-fit after he successfully passed his fitness tests. He’d been sidelined after picking up an impact injury during the ODI series in England, but now he’s ready to go just in time for the upcoming two-Test series in Sri Lanka.
India’s Test series against Sri Lanka kicks off August 15, with the second match starting August 23. These games aren’t just another couple of matches — India needs to win both if they want to stay in the running for a spot in the 2027 World Test Championship final.
Even while Bumrah was recovering from his injury, the selectors kept him in the 15-member squad. He’s essential for India with the red ball, and now that he’s been cleared, the team’s plans look a lot steadier.
A senior BCCI official told PTI, ‘Jasprit Bumrah has recovered from his impact injury. He has cleared the fitness tests mandated by the COE. Hopefully he will be available for both games, as he is integral to the team’s plans.’
What does India have to do to reach the WTC final in 2027?
They need to win seven of their last nine Tests in this cycle. With so little margin for error, every match matters. Beating Sri Lanka 2-0 is critical — winning those points would boost India’s position in the WTC standings and give them serious momentum before they head to New Zealand for what’s sure to be a tough series.
Unfortunately, Indian cricket has been hit hard by injuries right before the Sri Lanka Tests. Washington Sundar is out after a hamstring injury, and Akash Deep won’t be available either — he’s still recovering from stress reactions in his back. The list doesn’t end there. Harshit Rana has also been ruled out thanks to a hamstring injury, and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is unavailable after hurting his quadriceps. All these knocks really narrow down India’s choices for the opening match.