Team India is set to have a special guest at the nets when they head to Visakhapatnam for the second ODI of the series against West Indies. In what will undoubtedly be sweet music for the ears of cricket fans across the country, pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah will be at the nets to train with the Men in Blue as the team management checks his recovery after undergoing rehabilitation for the stress fracture he suffered on his back.
Speaking to IANS, sources in the know of developments said that Bumrah will bowl to the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and test his back as the training team led by Nitin Patel believe that he has recovered from the injury.
"Bumrah will be joining the team at the nets in Vizag and his back will be tested as he goes full throttle against the world's best batsmen like Kohli and Rohit. You can't really have a better test than having a go against the best in business. As you ae aware, the team management has been very particular about injury management and that is why this process has been put in place. It will be an interesting battle at the nets for sure," the source said.
Team India will be hosting both Sri Lanka and Australia in January before heading to New Zealand for a full-fledged tour which consists of two Tests, three-ODIs and five T20I and that is where Ravi Shastri and team want Bumrah to be 100 per cent.
Bumrah's importance in the Indian set-up is well known and sources in the know of developments had earlier said that even the Indian team management didn't wish to take any chance with his recovery post the stress fracture on his back and that is why he was sent to the UK for consultation.
"You can't take a chance with one of your best bowlers even though his body was on auto-heal mode. So, he was sent to the UK for consultation. We have an important tour of New Zealand coming up in the new year and he will be an integral part of the planning there. So, the team management was very clear that they are happy to wait and have him back at his best in time for the New Zealand tour," the source had told IANS.
It is believed that Bumrah could be brought back into the team for the ODI series against Australia as the management might not want to rush him for the Sri Lanka series in the first week of January. India play Australia in the first ODI on January 14 in Mumbai.
