India suffered a massive scare on day two of the Adelaide day-night Test with Jasprit Bumrah clutching his groin during the 81st over of Australia's innings.
India took the second new ball immediately in an attempt to change the flow of the game with Travis Head having already crossed a hundred. Bumrah came in to bowl and beat Head in a manner reminiscent of the 2023 World Cup final with the second ball, but after conceding a boundary of the next, he clutched his legs and sat down in his run-up, with India's physios rushing out to help him.
Luckily for India, after a break of a few minutes where he received some treatment, Bumrah got up and finished his over, but his pace was visibly down for the three balls after the injury scare.
Mohammed Siraj then removed Head in the very next over. With Australia seven down and a potential injury scare for Bumrah, India had the option of resorting to Harshit Rana or Nitish Kumar Reddy from the other end to give Bumrah a rest, but the ace seamer continued his spell, almost trapping Pat Cummins lbw twice in the 83rd over, gradually building back up to his best.
Travis Head continues to haunt India with his batting heroics.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 7, 2024
Scorecard ➡️ https://t.co/UlxS3fi5IZ pic.twitter.com/HcUkapLH9J
India would hope it was nothing more than a cramp as Bumrah is the leader of their bowling attack and by far superior in quality from every other bowler they have in the squad.
The last time India were in Australia for a Test series, Bumrah had missed the fourth and final Test after suffering an injury in the third. This one, however, is an even longer competition consisting of five Tests, and India's chances would take a severe blow without Bumrah.
