Pakistan’s interim head coach, Aaqib Javed, has boldly downplayed the threat posed by India’s premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Despite Bumrah being widely regarded as one of the world’s top bowlers across all formats, Javed dismissed the notion of planning Pakistan’s game around him, instead highlighting Bumrah’s fitness as a potential concern for India.
The Champions Trophy, set to begin on February 19, will see Pakistan face New Zealand in the tournament opener, with the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash scheduled for February 23 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Speaking to reporters during Pakistan's training session at the Ghani Glass ground in Lahore, Javed stated, “They should be worried about Bumrah's fitness. The most important thing in a Champions Trophy is that you can’t take any team lightly. All top eight teams are in the mix. If a team has a bowler like Bumrah, it’s a plus. But it’s not like we’ll plan everything around him.”
Bumrah, who has been sidelined due to back spasms since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, remains a doubt for India’s upcoming fixtures. Although he has been named in India’s squad for both the third ODI and the Champions Trophy, his availability is uncertain pending fitness tests and scan results.
It is important to note that Bumrah has also been ruled out of the England series, with Indian captain Rohit Sharma confirming that the team is awaiting scan results, which will determine his participation in the tournament.
While Bumrah's fitness remains a key talking point, Javed is confident that Pakistan has a well-rounded approach for the Champions Trophy, focusing on the collective strength of their team rather than individual players.
Meanwhile, there has been significant debate over the inclusion of Faheem Ashraf and Khushdil Shah in Pakistan's squad, with some critics questioning their place due to recent performances.
Javed, who also serves as a national selector, defended their inclusion, stating that squad decisions should not be based on the results of just a couple of matches.
“The selection is not based on the performances of just two matches. We’ll most likely stick with the same team for the Champions Trophy. When you look at the three pool matches against New Zealand, India, and Bangladesh, you need top seven batters and four bowlers, including two all-rounders. Faheem and Khushdil are better suited for subcontinent conditions compared to Australia or South Africa,” Javed explained.
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