Bumrah commences rehab after undergoing back surgery

Jasprit Bumrah has started his rehab, from Friday, at the BCCI's National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru after having undergone back surgery in New Zealand last month.

The surgery was successful and Bumrah was "pain-free", according to a media statement from the BCCI. The plan is to get him fully fit for the home ODI World Cup, which is likely to start on October 5.

Bumrah has not featured in any cricket since late September last year, when he pulled out of the home white-ball series against South Africa - the reason, reportedly, was a stress reaction in his lower back. He attempted a comeback in January this year for the home series against Sri Lanka, but that didn't happen after he experienced pain in the back. He was subsequently sidelined from the ongoing IPL 2023 and the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, which begins on June 7 at The Oval.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri had recently expressed his frustration at frequent and recurring injuries to senior Indian bowlers. "Let's put it this way: there are quite a few in the last three or four years who are permanent residents of the NCA," Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo's T20 Time:Out show. "Soon, they'll get a resident permit there to walk in any time they want, which is not a good thing at all. It's unreal."

Shreyas Iyer, who has also been ruled out of IPL 2023 and the WTC final, is set to undergo surgery on his back next week. He will report to the NCA for his own rehab after remaining in the surgeon's care for two weeks.

An impinged nerve caused by a bulged disc in the lower back area on the right side has troubled Iyer ever since he returned from the Bangladesh series last December. Despite taking about six injections, Iyer continued to experience discomfort.