Bumrah to miss, Ashwin in doubt as India’s hopes hit
AUSTRALIAN batsman Will Pucovski is in pain but still a chance to play in the Gabba Test against an injury-stricken Indian team which could be missing its two best bowlers.
India’s hopes of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy have received devastating blows with the breakdown of pace ace Jasprit Bumrah and a back injury to spinner Ravi Ashwin.
Bumrah, according to the Press Trust of India, is set to miss Friday’s Gabba Test, while Ashwin is likely to be sent for scans on a sore back today to determine his fitness.
Ashwin batted through the final day to secure a famous draw in the third Test in Sydney on Monday after being unable to sit down in the dressing room after sustaining a back problem the day before.
He is still a chance of playing on Friday but may have to bowl through pain.
An Indian Cricket Board source told the PTI: “Bumrah suffered an abdominal strain while fielding in Sydney. He is going to sit out of the Brisbane Test but is expected to be available against England.”
Bumrah and Ashwin have been the tourists’ two main bowlers and the potential loss of both would severely hamper India’s chances of an upset win.
The absence of Bumrah follows a large series of setbacks for the tourists who are already missing captain Virat Kohli, who returned to India for the birth of his first child, and pace bowlers Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.
Batsman Hanuma Vihari, who sustained a torn hamstring before bravely guiding his team to a draw in Sydney, is likely to miss at the Gabba while spinner Ravi Jadeja is a certain scratching due fractured finger.
A Cricket Australia spokesman said Pucovski had suffered a shoulder injury while diving on day five of the Sydney Test but would continue rest and rehabilitation over the next two days before a decision is made on his fitness.
He was known to be still in pain but scans on the shoulder did not reveal any major structural damage. to a