Gambhir breaks silence on Bumrah's heartbreak in Champions Trophy: 'He'll be sorely missed'

Bumrah sustained a back injury during the Sydney Test last month. Despite efforts to have him ready for the final ODI game against England by reducing his workload and allowing him to rest after the Australia tour, he was quietly sidelined from the series last week. The BCCI ultimately made the tough decision to exclude him from the Champions Trophy squad just before the deadline for finalizing the team for the tournament.

Speaking to Star Sports on Wednesday after India's whitewash over England, Gambhir admitted that Bumrah will be missed during the Champions Trophy.

"Obviously we wanted him desperately. We know that what he can do, he's a world-class player. But then again, some things are not in your hands. So it's an opportunity for some of the young guys, like Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, to put their hands up and do something for the country. Sometimes these are the opportunities which you're looking for. And Harshit has been brilliant throughout the series. He's taken some important wickets. We all know what Arshdeep can deliver. So, yes, Bumrah will always be a miss. But having someone like Mohammad Shami back with his experience is always good," he said.

Rana replaces Bumrah

Rana, who picked up six wickets in three games against England, was named as Bumrah's replacement for the Champions Trophy. India also included mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who made his debut in ODIs in the second game of the series, replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was originally part of the provisional team. The opener has now been named as a non-travelling substitute, alongside Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube.

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