In a surprising turn of events, India’s star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 due to injury, was spotted in Dubai ahead of India’s high-octane clash against Pakistan. While Bumrah was supposed to be undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, he chose to travel to Dubai to support Rohit Sharma and his team in their crucial Group A encounter at the Dubai International Stadium.
Ahead of the India vs Pakistan showdown, Bumrah was seen entering the stadium, meeting his teammates on the field, and catching up with ICC Chairman Jay Shah. The sighting of Bumrah raised eyebrows, given that he was expected to be focusing on his rehabilitation rather than traveling for the match.
India is aiming to secure a semi-final spot after defeating Bangladesh by six wickets in their opening game on Thursday. Meanwhile, Pakistan is fighting for survival, having suffered a 60-run defeat to New Zealand in their first match of the tournament in Karachi.
The 31-year-old pacer sustained an injury during the final Test match against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last month. As a result, the BCCI decided to manage his workload, keeping him away from domestic cricket and the white-ball series against England.
Initially named in India’s provisional Champions Trophy squad, Bumrah was later ruled out ahead of the squad deadline after medical assessments. Despite being away from the team, he has been actively training at the NCA under the supervision of fitness experts.
His wife, Sanjana Ganesan, recently provided an update on his recovery, stating,
“He is okay. He is training at the NCA,” in response to a query from Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz in an ICC video.
India and Pakistan are set for a high-pressure encounter, with Pakistan needing a win to stay in contention. On the other hand, a victory for India would virtually confirm their semi-final berth. While Bumrah’s absence has been a setback for the team, his unexpected presence in Dubai has certainly become a talking point ahead of the marquee clash.