Indias captain Jasprit Bumrah stretches before the start of day three of the fifth cricket test match between Australia and India at The SCG in Sydney on January 5, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Battling a back spasm, India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was not fit enough to bowl on day three after the visitors set Australia a 162-run target.

India were bowled out for 157 in 39.5 overs, adding only 16 runs to their overnight total with the loss of four wickets.

Bumrah, who had suffered the injury on day two, is set to end as the leading wicket taker in the series with 32 scalps.

He was away from the field for three hours and 20 minutes on Saturday.

With he not there to open the bowling on Sunday, Indian pace duo of Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna was all over the place leaking 35 runs in the first three overs.

Krishna had revealed Bumrah’s back issue after stumps on day two.

Bumrah had suffered a lower back injury that kept him out of cricket for nearly one year between 2022 and 2023. He had undergone a back surgery in March 2023.