Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the 2025 Champions Trophy will likely be decided on Tuesday, the final day for squad submissions to the ICC. Bumrah, who was India's standout performer in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has been sidelined since January due to a back injury sustained during the final Test of the series. Despite being named in both the squad for the third ODI against England and the provisional Champions Trophy team, his fitness remains uncertain. Bumrah recently underwent a back scan at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, and the medical team will report the findings to selectors by Tuesday. Should Bumrah fail to recover in time, Harshit Rana is expected to be named as his replacement.

The Indian team has expressed their desire to wait until the last possible moment to give Bumrah the best chance to recover, with former India coach Ravi Shastri recently stating, "If Bumrah isn’t fit, India’s chances of winning the Champions Trophy could drop by 30-35 percent. A fully fit Bumrah guarantees success in the death overs, which would make a huge difference."

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In the race against time, Bumrah has recently completed a five-week off-loading period, a process where athletes are advised complete rest to aid recovery, including staying away from gym work. He has now begun his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, with a dedicated team working to get him match-fit for the ICC event. While the BCCI has kept details of Bumrah’s fitness under wraps, PTI has learned that the pacer is being closely monitored by a core team at the NCA.

Strength and Conditioning (S&C) coach Rajnikanth Sivagnanam, physio Thulasi Ram Yuvraj, and Head of Sports Science Dr Nitin Patel are leading the rehabilitation process, with Dr Patel personally overseeing the entire procedure. National team S&C coach Soham Desai and physio Kamlesh Jain are also kept informed. It is expected that once Bumrah is cleared to bowl, renowned bowling coach Troy Cooley will be involved in monitoring his performance. A final report on Bumrah’s fitness will be submitted to BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and selector chairman Ajit Agarkar, with head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma also being notified.

While the BCCI can name Harshit Rana as Bumrah’s replacement if necessary, the team is determined to give their star pacer every chance to recover for the prestigious ICC event. (With PTI inputs)