Shreyas Iyer unlikely to feature in 2nd IND vs AUS Test; Jasprit Bumrah to miss the last 2 Tests and ODI series- Reports

According to a report by PTI, Team India batter Shreyas Iyer is likely to miss the second India-Australia Test due to his existing back injury. He is currently in the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru as part of the rehabilitation program.

The Mumbai-born player, who was ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand, also missed the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with Suryakumar Yadav taking his place in the team.

Ravindra Jadeja was required to prove his fitness by competing in a Ranji Trophy fixture prior to the first Test in Nagpur. Similarly, Shreyas, whose last competitive fixture came during the ODI series against Sri Lanka in January 2022, could be asked to do the same.

The upcoming Irani Cup clash, slated to take place between the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy winners Madhya Pradesh and the Rest of India, proves to be an ideal avenue for the selectors to field Shreyas and judge his recovery. The fixture is expected to take place from March 1 to 5, which coincides with the dates of the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

The aforementioned contest has been shifted to the Holkar Stadium in Indore from the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium (HPCA) in Dharamsala. The outfield did not meet the standards of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s inspection team, forcing a change in the venue.

The team management has yet to convey any specific instructions for the pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi for the upcoming second India-Australia Test. The hosts have attained a 1-0 lead courtesy of their mammoth win in Nagpur.

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BCCI to not rush Bumrah back into action; will not be selected for IND vs AUS ODIs as well

Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah's recovery from his tricky back stress fracture has not panned out as hoped. He was initially named in the squad for the white-ball series against Sri Lanka in January 2022, but his name was withdrawn at the last moment, as he still felt stiffness while bowling.

He was also excluded for the first two Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests and the report suggests that the management has no intention of rushing him back into action, keeping the 2023 ODI World Cup in mind.

The pacer will reportedly not be selected for the last two Tests against Australia as well as the subsequent three-match ODI series.

The next assignment that comes following the India-Australia series is the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). Fitness coaches at the NCA are set to work closely with the franchises, which brings the question of Bumrah's workload during the tournament for the Mumbai Indians (MI).

Should Bumrah be rested for the 2023 IPL as well? Let us know what you think.

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