The availability of these five players will be crucial as India prepares for the ODI World Cup, which will take place at home starting on October 5th.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued a medical update on Friday, July 21, regarding the fitness of five key players currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer have all suffered serious injuries that required surgical intervention. These players are integral members of the Indian team across various formats, and their absence has significantly impacted the team's performance in international assignments.
Prasidh Krishna is recovering from a back injury, while Jasprit Bumrah is also dealing with a back issue. Rishabh Pant is undergoing rehabilitation for a knee injury, KL Rahul for a thigh injury, and Shreyas Iyer for a back problem. The BCCI is closely monitoring their progress and providing necessary medical support to ensure their swift recovery.
Following is the BCCI medical update on the five players:
Mr Jasprit Bumrah and Mr Prasidh Krishna: The two fast bowlers are in the final stages of their rehab and are bowling with full intensity in the nets. The duo will now play some practice games, which the NCA will organise. The BCCI Medical Team is pleased with their progress and will make a final decision after assessing them following the practice games.
Mr KL Rahul and Mr Shreyas Iyer: They have resumed batting in the nets and are currently undergoing strength and fitness drills. The BCCI Medical Team is satisfied with their progress and will increase their intensity in terms of both skills and strength and conditioning in the coming days.
Mr Rishabh Pant: He has made significant progress in his rehabilitation and has commenced batting as well as keeping in the nets. He is currently following a fitness programme designed for him which includes strength, flexibility and running.
The availability of these five players will be crucial as India prepares for the ODI World Cup, which will take place at home starting on October 5th. Bumrah, who has been leading the Indian pace attack, has been out of action since September 2022 due to a back injury. He made a comeback during the home T20I series against Australia after missing the 20-over Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.
Shreyas, who has been India's highest scorer in all formats in 2022, sustained an injury during the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia in March. As a result, he underwent a successful back surgery in April.
Rahul, who was leading the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL), suffered an injury in May. In the absence of Pant, who has been India's preferred wicketkeeper in all formats, Rahul has been fulfilling the dual role of a batter and wicketkeeper in ODIs. However, his fitness remains a concern for the team.
In addition to the wicketkeeping concerns, the Indian team is also hopeful for the return of Prasidh to strengthen their pace bowling department. Prasidh, a tall and talented fast-bowler, has taken 25 wickets in just 14 ODI matches. Unfortunately, he has been sidelined since August 2022 due to a stress fracture.
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