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Jasprit Bumrah could return to first-class cricket before India's upcoming Test series in New Zealand, with the national selectors keen to assess whether his left knee can handle the demands of red-ball cricket. According to a latest report by the Times of India, the Indian team management wants Bumrah to play at least one first-class game before the New Zealand Tests, with either a Ranji Trophy appearance or an India A fixture being considered.
The fast bowler has been away from red-ball cricket since India's Test against South Africa in November 2025 and was ruled out of the Sri Lanka Test series after failing to fully recover from his knee issue. Bumrah's most recent Ranji Trophy appearance, meanwhile, came almost a decade ago, when he produced a memorable six-wicket haul for Gujarat against Jharkhand in January 2017.
Jasprit Bumrah out of action due to knee issues
Bumrah's latest injury setback came during India's ODI series against England. He last bowled in the second ODI in Cardiff on July 16, 2026, before being ruled out of the final ODI at Lord's because of an impact injury to his left knee. The issue had reportedly been troubling him since the T20 World Cup earlier in the year.
Following the England series, Jasprit Bumrah underwent further treatment and later reached the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for fitness assessments. The medical team decided against rushing him back into Test cricket, as an immediate return to bowling could have aggravated the knee problem.
He was initially included in India's squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, subject to fitness clearance. However, he was eventually withdrawn and replaced by Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi. Jasprit Bumrah's absence was felt during the series, although Prasidh Krishna stepped up with seven wickets as India won 1-0.
Jasprit Bumrah is now among four Indian players who are set to undergo match-simulation tests at the CoE between September 4 and 9 before the Afghanistan T20I series. The BCCI medical team has reportedly declared the four players clinically fit but wants them to prove their match readiness.
Jasprit Bumrah in line to play Ranji Trophy
The selectors are taking a cautious approach with Bumrah because of the demanding schedule ahead. India are scheduled to play a two-Test series in New Zealand later this year, and the management does not want the premier fast bowler to go directly into an overseas Test without first testing his body in a longer red-ball game.
The Times of India reported that the selectors want Bumrah to play at least one first-class match before the New Zealand Tests. A Ranji Trophy match is one possibility, although an India A fixture in New Zealand is also being considered. The latter option could be difficult to manage because India A's matches overlap with India's ODI series in New Zealand.
Jasprit Bumrah is also expected to be managed carefully during the white-ball schedule. He could be rested for India's T20I series against the West Indies in October, giving him an opportunity to build up his red-ball workload ahead of the New Zealand Tests.
When was Jasprit Bumrah’s last Ranji Trophy match? Full details here
Jasprit Bumrah's last Ranji Trophy appearance came for Gujarat against Jharkhand in the second semi-final of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy. The match was played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground in Nagpur from January 1 to 4, 2017. Gujarat won by 123 runs to reach the final.
Bumrah was the star of the contest. After Jharkhand took an 18-run first-innings lead, Gujarat were defending a target of 235 in the fourth innings. Bumrah produced his career-best first-class figures at the time, taking 6/29 in 14 overs as Jharkhand were bowled out for just 111.
His match figures were 7/132, having taken 1/103 in the first innings. The six-wicket haul included the wickets of Virat Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Ishank Jaggi, Ishan Kishan, Shahbaz Nadeem and Vikash Singh.
That January 2017 semi-final remains Bumrah's last Ranji Trophy game. He subsequently moved into a full international schedule, making a first-class comeback for India A against Australia A in 2020, but has not played Ranji Trophy since his memorable performance against Jharkhand.
If the selectors go ahead with their current plan, Bumrah could therefore make a rare return to India's premier domestic red-ball competition before another Test comeback.
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