MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene did not give any time frame for Jasprit Bumrah’s return to competitive cricket and said the absence of the pacer will be a big challenge for his team in the IPL 2025. Bumrah will not be able to play in the first few matches of the tournament due to a back injury as he is currently undergoing ‘rehabilitation’ at the BCCI ‘Centre of Excellence’ in Bengaluru.
Jayawardene said in the Mumbai Indians’ pre-season press conference, ‘Jasprit Bumrah is in NCA. We have to wait for his feedback about Bumrah. At the moment everything is going well, progress is happening day by day.’ The Mumbai coach said, ‘He is in good shape. But his not playing is also a challenge for the team. He is the best bowler in the world.’
He could not bowl in the second innings in the last Test against Australia in Sydney in January, after which he has been out and the host team won the series 3-1 while chasing 162 runs. There is uncertainty over Bumrah’s return but Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya said that the presence of this 30-year-old veteran in the dressing room will help them.
Jasprit Bumrah is expected to join his Mumbai teammates in the first week of April and he can continue his ‘rehabilitation’ with the team. A video of Bumrah bowling also surfaced recently. Pandya said, ‘I am lucky that three captains are playing with me, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah. They always support me and whenever I need any help, they are always there.’