NEW DELHI: A fit-again Jasprit Bumrah is making a comeback to international cricket with the three-match T20I series against Ireland, starting from Friday. Bumrah, who spent 11 months away from the game due to lower-back stress, will lead a young Indian team in Ireland.
Bumrah acknowledged that it was frustrating to spend a long period of time in rehabilitation as the injury took time to heal, but he also added that instead of having self doubt he was thinking about making a comeback.
"When injury takes time to heal, it can be frustrating. Instead of having self doubt, I was thinking how to get fit and make a comeback," Bumrah said on Thursday ahead of the first T20I against Ireland.
"It is important to give the body time and respect. I never took it as a dark phase and thought my career could be over. I was looking for solutions and when solutions came I was feeling good.
"When you are facing an injury you are trying to solve that problem, not what the world is saying. I wanted to recuperate. You learn to enjoy the game a lot more. I looked at it as an off season. So I got to spend time with my family. So I was looking at the positives. At the same time, I missed being away from action."
He also disclosed that interactions with visiting teammates also kept him in good spirits.
"I met a lot of players at NCA. Sometimes things are not in your control. The body needs time to recover and you need to respect it.
"When you come back you have hunger. When you are playing continuous cricket you don't know what an off season looks like. In this phase, as long as my physical restrictions were over I wanted to work on my fitness and bowling.
"I was following how the team was doing and (it) was good to meet the players," Bumrah added.
(With inputs from PTI)