Jasprit Bumrah injury mystery deepens threatens to rule India captain out of SCG Test

These are the ominous images that could rule India’s inspirational captain and bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah out of the remainder of the SCG Test.

The sight of an ambulance escort taking Jasprit Bumrah for an emergency scan on day two suggests India may have killed its golden goose.

After spending more than 40 minutes off the ground after lunch on Saturday, TV cameras captured the Indian superstar out of his whites and in his training kit as he was whisked away from the SCG for scans which will determine whether he can play any further part in this riveting series.

The information vacuum that is the BCCI provided no immediate update on exactly what Bumrah’s injury is or his prospects of bowling in the second innings - but post play team India claimed their main man was suffering from back spasms and refused to comment on his chances of bowling.

But the signs appeared ominous for Bumrah who looked like an old man trying to park himself into the backseat of a car which was led out of the SCG by an ambulance like this was a Prime Minister or a Head of State.

Bumrah – arguably the greatest bowler to ever tour these shores – has single-handedly kept India in this series and as a result had bowled more overs (151.2) than any other bowler up to the moment he broke down and walked from the SCG.

Jasprit Bumrah (R) received an ambulance escort out of the SCG. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

With 32 wickets at an incredible average of 13.06 runs per wicket, Bumrah needs just five second innings wickets to equal Mitchell Johnson’s 37-wicket rout of England in the 2013-14 Ashes and seven to eclipse the 100-year mark of Englishman Maurice William Tate who took 38 wickets in Australia – the most ever by an overseas bowler.

But unless Bumrah can make a Lazarus like recovery, Johnson may well retain his mantle as the ultimate modern-day wicket-taking destroyer on Australian soil.

It’s understood Bumrah did return to the SCG after the scans.

Perhaps there were some warning signs that Bumrah was running out of petrol in Melbourne when he grabbed at his side at one point and was picked up on stump microphones telling his then skipper Rohit Sharma as India chased its last wicket; “I don’t have any more power.”

Of course Bumrah had to play this final Test, but maybe the load he has shouldered all series has finally caught up with him.

Jasprit Bumrah looked in discomfort as he entered the team van in the bowels of the SCG. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

If Bumrah is ruled out of the rest of the SCG Test it would be a massive boost to Australia’s hopes of chasing down a winning target to lift the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.

However, the superb way Mohammed Siraj (3-51) and Prasidh Krishna (3-42) as well as allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy (2-32) stood up in Bumrah’s absence to skittle Australia for 181 all out in the first innings shows India believe they can prove they’re not a one-man band.

Australia’s batsmen threw away a golden opportunity to capitalise on Bumrah’s absence and couldn’t even manage a first innings lead, forced to settle for a 4-run deficit at the halfway mark of a Test match on fast forward.

It was almost a replay of the first Test in Perth when India were skittled for 150 but still took away a lead thanks to the commanding presence of Bumrah who was also captain.

Now history is threatening to repeat itself, with Bumrah once again back in charge as skipper putting Australia’s highly inconsistent batting order back in its box.

In Perth, Australia found themselves 4-31 and in Sydney it was 4-39.

Australia’s first innings slump in Sydney was even more unforgiveable than what happened in Perth because the conditions weren’t as treacherous and India were a bowler down from just after the lunch break onwards.

It was Australia’s lowest total at the SCG since being bowled out for 127 by Pakistan in January, 2010 and lowest against India in Sydney since they were restricted to 131 in January, 1978.