Reserved for Mumbai Indians?: Angry fans question BCCI`s decision to rule out Jasprit Bumrah from ODI series against Sri Lanka, blame IPL 2023

Jasprit Bumrah, the star of India's pace attack, will not play in the forthcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, which gets underway on Tuesday in Guwahati. Bumrah, who was scheduled to join the team in Guwahati ahead of the ODI series, would require extra time to develop his bowling strength, according to an official statement from the BCCI. The right-arm fast bowler's return to competitive cricket has been further delayed as a result of the precautionary decision, which was made without naming a replacement in Bumrah's absence. Bumrah, 29, was absent from the India ODI team that was initially unveiled on December 27 for the series against Sri Lanka. But on January 3, he was a part of the team for the three-match series.

India's star pacer has not played cricket since India vs Australia T20I series at home. He even missed the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. However, fans were eager to see him back into the action in the Sri Lanka series. Now that he has been ruled out of the three-match 50-over series, fans are questioning if BCCI is reserving him for IPL 2023

"The pacer has undergone rehabilitation and has been declared fit by the NCA. He will be joining the Team India ODI squad soon," the BCCI had said at that time.

Bumrah has been out of cricketing action since September 2022, when his back injury resurfaced after playing two home T20Is against Australia and was subsequently ruled out of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia.

It is yet to be known if India will pick Bumrah for the ODI series against New Zealand which begins from January 18. In his absence, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik will form the fast-bowling department for the series against Sri Lanka, apart from pace-bowling allrounder and vice-captain Hardik Pandya in the mix.

After the first ODI in Guwahati is played between India and Sri Lanka, it will be followed by matches in Kolkata and Thiruvananthapuram on January 12 and 15 respectively.

The ODI series against Sri Lanka will see the return of captain Rohit Sharma, talismanic batter Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer after missing the recent 2-1 T20I series triumph.

India's updated squad for Sri Lanka ODIs: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.