India’s injury problems ahead of the Sri Lanka Test series could extend further, with Washington Sundar now considered unlikely to join the squad for the second Test and no return timeline yet established for fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep, according to a report by The Times of India.
Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan have already been ruled out of the two-Test tour, while Washington was selected only for the second match as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained during India’s tour of England. With several players currently unavailable, the Centre of Excellence and team management are taking a cautious approach to bringing players back into Test cricket.
Washington Sundar faces race to make second Test
Washington remains in India while his workload is gradually increased, leaving his participation in the second Test at Colombo’s SSC uncertain.
A BCCI source told The Times of India, “At this moment, the chances of Washington going to Sri Lanka are very slim. The team management has been told to plan accordingly. The BCCI medical team is wary of pushing him into a Test match. There have been a few instances where players have broken down immediately after recovering from an injury.”
Washington was included with the understanding that his recovery schedule would leave little margin before the second Test. He has also had limited competitive cricket since suffering the injury in England.
The BCCI source added, “Washington was picked only for the second Test knowing it will be touch-and-go for him to gain full fitness. He hasn’t played much after sustaining the injury in England last month. His workload is being carefully increased.”
No replacement is expected to be added if Washington is eventually ruled out. India already have a 15-player squad, with the all-rounder set to become its 16th member if he is cleared to travel.
The source stated, “Washington will be the 16th member if links up with the team. It needs to be assessed if it will be worthwhile to send him for a Test match without any game time. A thorough assessment will be done next week which will include how the team is placed in Sri Lanka.”
No return date set for Bumrah
Bumrah’s recovery carries longer-term significance for India, with the fast bowler sidelined by the knee injury he sustained during the ODI series in England. He has not played since the second ODI in Cardiff on July 16 and was replaced in the Sri Lanka Test squad by Auqib Nabi.
The Centre of Excellence had attempted to build Bumrah’s bowling volume sufficiently for the Sri Lanka series, but he was not considered ready for the demands of red-ball cricket.
The BCCI source noted, “The CoE was working on increasing Bumrah’s workload before the Test series in Sri Lanka. It was felt that he would not be ready in time. It has been a long time since he has bowled in longer formats for a while. The CoE is very careful about him. They haven’t given any timeline on him.”
India still have nine Tests scheduled across the remainder of the season, making Bumrah’s availability an important consideration beyond the immediate Sri Lanka assignment.
The source added, “Indian cricket may have to now start getting ready for life without Bumrah especially in the longer formats after next year.”
In Bumrah’s absence, India’s pace resources for Sri Lanka include Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar and Nabi.
Akash Deep misses Sri Lanka recovery target
Akash Deep presents another challenge for India’s fast-bowling depth. The Bengal pacer has been unavailable since January because of a stress fracture in his back, and the attempt to have him ready for the Sri Lanka tour has fallen short.
The BCCI source said, “For Akash Deep, the CoE’s target was to get him cricket fit by the Sri Lanka tour. That has not happened. Now, they have not communicated any timeline to the team management and the selection committee.”
India hope Akash can return for the New Zealand Test series, when the availability of both him and Bumrah would strengthen the pace options for another important stage of the World Test Championship cycle.
Kapil Dev urges BCCI to manage fast-bowling demands
The expanding injury list has also brought the physical demands facing India’s players into sharper focus, particularly for fast bowlers operating across multiple formats.
Former India Captain Kapil Dev addressed the subject at the Bengaluru Blasters launch event ahead of the inaugural JITO Premier League.
Kapil said, “My mother is no more. If she were alive, she could have given a few of her recipes to the current fast bowlers!”
The former India Captain then turned to the responsibilities shared by individual players and those managing their workloads.
He added, “One should know about one’s own body. There is too much T20 cricket happening, so you have to be careful about the toll it takes on the body. Our body is actually not tuned to being a fast bowler. Our body is more tuned to being a batter. The BCCI should look into how much workload can be given to fast bowlers.”
Kapil also pointed to domestic red-ball cricket as an important part of preparing established players for the different requirements of Test matches.
He stated, “Playing domestic cricket is very important. The reason why Indian teams struggle against spin is because the top players don’t play enough domestic cricket. That’s where the BCCI should put its foot down and make everyone play multi-day matches. The other aspect is that the younger generation will get to learn from the top players.”
India’s performances against spin have come under scrutiny following home series defeats against New Zealand and South Africa, adding another dimension to their preparation for conditions in Sri Lanka.
Kapil noted, “In recent times, India has not been the best against spin bowling. They play too many T20Is and ODIs. Test matches are a different ball game. I hope they can put their heads together.”
Badrinath questions responsibility for Bumrah management
Former India batter S Badrinath has separately questioned where responsibility sits when medical assessments are translated into decisions over a player’s selection and workload.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Badrinath said, “I don’t know who made the decision. COE will not make the selection, right? They will just say he is in this state and can play these matches and his body is in this state. But I think the captain, coach, and selectors are taking the decision. COE only passes the information. They are not selectors.”
Bumrah had managed a knee issue during the T20 World Cup before his workload was gradually increased during the IPL. He was later rested from India’s Afghanistan series and T20Is against Ireland and England before suffering the impact injury during the ODI series in England.
Badrinath added, “I don’t have an immediate answer to the root cause of so many injuries. It is important to see what kind of injuries these are. At high-level professional sport, injuries are common. Sai Sudharsan got hit by a ball, with Bumah, it is a chronic injury because of being overused and fitness is not Sundar’s forte, he is injury-prone. His fitness needs a lot of work. Management and monitoring is very important. Injuries are bound to happen and you cannot control it.”
India begin the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on August 15 before moving to Colombo for the second match from August 23. While Bumrah and Akash Deep remain without defined comeback dates, Washington’s assessment will determine whether India’s list of unavailable players grows further before the second Test.
