The uncertainty over pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, starting February 19, could be over by Tuesday as the BCCI is running against time to submit the final squad to the International Cricket Council by February 11.

Bumrah, who was included in the provisional 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy, was expected to take part in the third and final ODI against England in Ahmedabad, as part of the lead-up to the mega tournament that returns after an eight-year hiatus. However, the star pacer has travelled to Bengaluru instead.

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While announcing the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy on January 18, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had said that based on information provided by the BCCI medical staff at the time, Bumrah was not “likely to be fit for the first couple of games” of the England ODI series.

He had said that Bumrah was “asked to offload for five weeks” from bowling, before undergoing fresh scans on his back in the first week of February.

Bumrah has not played a match since the second innings of the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney in early January. It is understood he had a stress reaction in his back, which required five weeks of rest.

It is understood that the BCCI is awaiting a call from the medical team on the star pacer’s fitness, and if he is considered unlikely to play any part in the Champions Trophy, they could replace him with Harshit Rana, who played the first two ODIs against England.

But in case he’s able to make it in the later stages of the tournament, India could keep him in the 15 and replace him later subject to ICC approvals. After February 11, any replacement needs the approval of the tournament’s technical committee.

India are in Group A of the Champions Trophy along with hosts Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Zealand and will play all their matches in Dubai after the BCCI cited security concerns, and refused to send the team to Pakistan – the official host of the tournament.

The Rohit Sharma-led side begins their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, before playing Pakistan on February 23 and New Zealand on March 2.

India’s provisional squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja

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