‘The importance of Bumrah to the Indian team: Ex-star believes series hinges on his fitness’

The concern over Jasprit Bumrah's fitness has escalated following his injury scare during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. After going down with a thigh injury in the first over with the second new ball, the Indian camp is visibly worried about his availability for future matches. With Mohammed Shami already sidelined, Bumrah has been the main threat for the Indian bowling attack. While Mohammed Siraj has shown promise, he is not yet at the level of Shami or Bumrah. Harshit Rana's struggles in the day-night Test have further limited India's options. Bumrah is crucial for India's success and Rohit Sharma will be hoping for a quick recovery for his trump card.

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes Rohit can't give long spells to Bumrah as he is India's "only bowler". The former batter said if Bumrah breaks down, India will have no chance whatsoever in the five-Test series which is currently locked 1-1.

"No need to panic that much, it's just 1-1. It's alright we've lost one Test, there is no need to behave like all is lost. The plannings need to be better; tactical moves need to come into play. Rohit was not up to the mark as captain. And of course, Jasprit Bumrah. You can't give long spells to Bumrah. He's the only bowler. I have never seen a team that depends on only one player. Ashwin is not playing, Jadeja is not playing. If Bumrah gets injured, you forget about the series. That's why Rohit is giving him short spells," Kaif said in a video shared on his social media handles.

"Bumrah is being looked after. Rohit Sharma has been told to take care of him, so that he stays fit. He shouldn't break down as he is the lone pacer," he added.

Bumrah, who led India in Rohit's absence in the first Test in Perth, produced a remarkable show with the ball, picking up eight wickets in the match. His spell with the new ball on Day 1 after India were bowled out for 150 was hailed as one of the best in modern-day cricket. It was mainly because of his stellar show that India won the Test by a record 295 runs to go 1-0 up.

In the second Test too, Bumrah appeared to be India's only hope for breakthroughs. The workload and the pressure of striking every time he came on to bowl took a toll on Bumrah's performance. His pace went down as the innings progressed and he was even seen having some issues with his inner thighs.

Although the Indian team management ruled out any possibility of a serious injury, they have adopted a cautious approach. Bumrah did not bowl in India's practice session in Adelaide on Tuesday. Instead, he spent a lot of time with India's strength and conditioning coaches to ensure he stays injury-free.

The third Test starts in Brisbane on Saturday, and India will need Bumrah to fire all cylinders.