Bumrah could suffer lumbar injuries: Expert

Jasprit Bumrah's unconventional bowling action may pose injury concerns to his "lumbar vertebrae", feels Dr Simon Feros, a lecturer in functional anatomy/strength and conditioning sciences.

Part of Deakin University's sports team in Victoria, Australia, Feros and renowned physiotherapist Gloster studied the Indian pacer's bowling action.

Ranked the third best sports science school in the world, Deakin University's School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences is a leader in its field.

"Bumrah tends to release the ball outside the line of the front foot. This means he can 'push' at the ball, usually resulting in an excellent in-swing delivery to a right-hand batter.

"However, if he exceeds 45 degrees of trunk lateral flexion (which I think he may on some occasions), then this element of his action may pose some injury concerns to his lumbar vertebrae," said Feros.

The lumbar vertebrae are the five vertebrae between the rib cage and the pelvis.

Even as many in the international cricket community feel Bumrah could find it difficult to sustain for long without injury with his unusual action, Feros and Gloster made some positive observations about one of the world's most successful fast bowlers of today.

"In terms of pelvis and shoulder segment alignment in back foot contact, delivery stride, and back foot contact, Bumrah's action looks safe; he doesn't appear to place his spine under excessive torsional stress," Feros said.

Gloster concluded his analysis of Bumrah's action by stating that the body is an "amazing machine" and given time will adapt to almost anything, and lauded his earlier coaches for not tinkering with his action.

Gloster has worked extensively in international cricket for the last 17 years, most notably as a physiotherapist to the Indian team for three and a half years.

Gloster, who has been involved in nearly 55 international cricket tours/series as head physiotherapist, said: "Bumrah has developed muscle control, stability and power to support this action to date.

"The body is an amazing machine and given time will adapt to most anything, including the capacity to repeatedly deliver a ball at high speeds and accuracy with this visually unusual bowling action.

"Given his current effectiveness in world cricket, I feel his earlier coaches should be applauded for not trying to change his action and 'mould' him into the 'perfect action' bowler."