Star India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has taken another important step towards his return to T20I cricket. The India pacer was back in the nets in Delhi on Friday as the team began its preparations for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan.
Bumrah, who recently recovered from a knee injury, bowled at full intensity during the training session. He also experimented with a longer run-up, giving an early indication that he is still working on his rhythm and approach before making his return to competitive cricket. The fast bowler has already been cleared fit for the Afghanistan series and the 2026 Asian Games.
One of the biggest talking points from the training session was Bumrah’s run-up. The pacer used a longer approach while bowling in the nets and appeared to be testing different ways of building his rhythm.
Bumrah has always had an unusual bowling action and a short run-up compared to many fast bowlers. However, he spent part of the session changing the length of his approach before delivering the ball.
The experiment suggests that Bumrah is taking his comeback carefully and making sure his body is comfortable with the demands of fast bowling.
Bumrah did not just focus on his run-up. He bowled to several of India’s batters and looked competitive throughout the session.
He bowled alongside Arshdeep Singh and other members of the pace group. The India fast bowler also tested himself against batters including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan.
The session provided a positive sign for India, with Bumrah showing good pace and accuracy after his recent injury break. His return is especially important for the team as the Afghanistan series will be the first major T20 assignment since his recovery.
Bumrah had missed India’s third ODI against England because of a knee injury and was subsequently unavailable for the Test series against Sri Lanka. He went through rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence before being cleared to return.
The pacer was included in India’s squad for the Afghanistan T20Is subject to fitness clearance. He has now received that clearance, allowing him to continue his comeback with the national team.
His fitness will remain a major focus, given how important he is to India’s bowling attack across formats. The team management is expected to keep a close eye on his workload as he gets back into match rhythm.
India will play Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series in Delhi. The first match is scheduled for September 13, followed by the second and third games on September 15 and 17.
Bumrah’s return gives India another major option with the ball. With Arshdeep Singh also in the squad, India have a strong pace combination ahead of the series.
For Bumrah, however, the immediate focus will be on getting through the matches smoothly and building his rhythm again. His latest net session was another positive step in that process.
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