India’s Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the remaining two matches against South Africa due to a back injury and remains doubtful for the T20 World Cup starting next month.

Bumrah, who recently returned to the squad from injury, missed the team’s opening T20 win over South Africa on Wednesday after he complained of back pain.

“He is out of the remaining two matches due to a back injury,” a senior official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“He awaits scan reports for his participation in the T20 World Cup, so fingers crossed.” According to reports in the Indian media, the pace bowler has a stress fracture of the back and will miss the plane to Australia.

The BCCI, ahead of the T20 opener, said: “Jasprit Bumrah complained of back pain during India’s practice session on Tuesday. The BCCI medical team assessed him. He is ruled out of the first #INDvSA T20I.”

It will be a blow to India if he misses out and the team may have to fall back on their standby players including pace bowler Mohammed Shami for T20’s showpiece event in October-November.

The 28-year-old Bumrah played two T20 internationals against Australia recently but was not at his best.

The team has missed Bumrah’s death bowling expertise in the crucial final overs.

He has played 30 Tests, 72 ODIs and 60 T20Is for India since making his international debut in January 2016.

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was forced out of the World Cup due to a knee injury that made him pull out of the Asia Cup midway through the tournament.