Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah is racing against time to get fit for the ODI Wold Cup 2023. Multiple reports have ruled him out of IPL 2023 as well as final of World Test Championship which India are likely to play in June at The Oval in London. BCCI selectors are praying and hoping that he gets ready by the time the World Cup starts later this year. Bumrah has not played any cricket for more than six months now. He has missed many key tournaments and series for India due to a back injury. Some of the tournaments he has missed are: Asia Cup 2022, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022, India tour of New Zealand, India tour of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka tour of India, New Zealand tour of India and Border-Gavaskar series.


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The ODI series between India and Australia was being seen as his comeback series but it was not to be as he did not receive a fitness certificate by the doctors. Former Indian pacer and member of the 1983 World Cup-winning side Madan Lal has made a controversial statement on Bumrah's likely absence from this year's majority of big tournaments in which India are taking part. He told an Indian TV new channel that it is time to move past Bumrah for the moment as he is going to take time. What Lal meant is that the pacer may take more time that expected to recover from the back injury and it is important to look for a better replacement for the WTC final.

"They will take Umesh [to WTC final]. There you need at least 3 pacers to only one spinner might play and the rest will be fast bowlers. Bumrah ko ab bhool jao. Usko chhor dijiye aap (Forget Bumrah. Leave him out of the equation). When Bumrah returns, we will see then. Use whatever you have. What is the guarantee? No wonder when he will return - maybe 1 to 1.5 years. He has not played in so long. It means his injury his very serious," Madan Lal told Sports Tak.