Jasprit Bumrah's injury blow could finally turn Ranji star’s lifelong India dream into reality
Jasprit Bumrah is set to miss the two-Test series against Sri Lanka starting August 15 in Galle due to left knee discomfort, with the BCCI medical team prioritizing full recovery.
Auqib Nabi has emerged as the front-runner to replace Bumrah, having been the leading wicket-taker of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy with 60 wickets in 10 matches for Jammu & Kashmir, who won their maiden Ranji title.
Nabi, a right-arm quick known for swinging the new ball both ways, was previously overlooked for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in May, with Gurnoor Brar chosen instead.
The Indian pace attack is further depleted as Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Akash Deep are already unavailable for the series.
Nabi recently played in India A's two-match red-ball series in Sri Lanka, gaining experience in conditions similar to those for the upcoming senior Tests.
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