India Likely to Draft in Auqib Nabi as Bumrah’s Replacement for Sri Lanka Tests

India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is set to miss the two-Test series against Sri Lanka after failing to recover fully from a knee injury, with Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi likely to replace him in the squad.

Nabi is expected to receive his maiden senior India call-up after being cleared as Bumrah’s replacement, according to a BCCI source. “Bumrah is not fit and Auqib Nabi has been approved as his replacement,” the source told PTI.

If selected, Nabi will become only the third cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to earn a senior India call-up after Parvez Rasool and Umran Malik, both of whom featured in the white-ball format.

The right-arm seamer has been among the most consistent performers on the domestic circuit, claiming more than 100 wickets across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons while playing a key role in Jammu and Kashmir’s impressive red-ball campaign. He is also regarded as a useful lower-order batter.

Bumrah’s recovery has progressed slower than initially anticipated, with swelling in his knee persisting despite rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The medical team has decided against rushing him back into Test cricket, especially with a demanding international schedule ahead.

“The two people who run the COE, Dhananjay and Thulasi, have decided that Bumrah can’t be risked. Initially, both the team management and the selection committee were made to believe he could be available for at least one of the two Tests,” the source said.

The 32-year-old sustained the injury during the third ODI against England at Lord’s last month and has since been undergoing rehabilitation. Although there was hope he would recover in time for the Sri Lanka tour, he continues to experience discomfort.

Even if Bumrah regains fitness before the opening Test in Galle on August 15 or the second Test in Colombo from August 23, the medical staff are reluctant to bring him back in the longest format immediately because of the workload demands on fast bowlers.

Vidarbha pacer Yash Thakur was also in contention before the selectors decided on Nabi as Bumrah’s replacement. India’s injury concerns extend beyond Bumrah. Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar are all expected to miss at least the opening Test after suffering hamstring injuries.

Meanwhile, B Sai Sudharsan is making steady progress in his recovery from the foot injury he sustained during the recent India A tour of Sri Lanka. The left-hander has resumed batting at the Centre of Excellence, spending around 75 minutes in the nets, with a final call on his availability expected in the coming days.