Mumbai Indians Face a Challenge as Jasprit Bumrah Misses Start of IPL 2025
Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene has acknowledged that the team will face a significant challenge in the initial phase of IPL 2025 due to the absence of their star pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. Speaking at a press interaction in Mumbai on Wednesday, Jayawardene expressed hope that Bumrah would be able to join the squad soon.
“Not having Bumrah for the first few matches is a challenge, but hopefully, he can rejoin the team soon,” Jayawardene stated. He also provided an update on Bumrah’s recovery, mentioning that the bowler is “in good spirits” while undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Bumrah’s Road to Recovery
The ace fast bowler has just begun his recovery process, and his return remains uncertain as it depends on the medical feedback from the BCCI team.
“He has just started his progress. We have to wait and see what the medical team says,” Jayawardene added. “At the moment, everything is going well, but it’s a day-to-day process. He’s been an exceptional performer for MI over the years, and we will definitely miss him.”
MI’s Bowling Strategy Without Bumrah
With Bumrah sidelined, Mumbai Indians will need to rethink their bowling attack, especially in the death overs. While the squad boasts quality pacers like Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Reece Topley, and Corbin Bosch (who replaced Lizaad Williams), most of them specialize in the powerplay. The team will also rely on captain Hardik Pandya for all-round contributions, along with other bowling options such as Ashwani Kumar, Satyanarayana Raju, Arjun Tendulkar, and Raj Angad Bawa.
Jayawardene remains optimistic about the situation, suggesting that it presents an opportunity for other bowlers to step up.
“We’ll have to wait or find someone else to fill the gap. This gives us a chance to experiment with different strategies early in the season and see what works best,” he said.
Bumrah’s Injury Timeline
Bumrah has been a key player for Mumbai Indians since his debut in 2013, claiming 165 wickets in 133 matches. The only IPL season he missed was in 2023 due to a back injury, and now, history seems to be repeating itself.
As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Bumrah is yet to fully recover from the stress-related back injury that has kept him out of action since January. He suffered the setback on January 4, during the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney. Following this, he was ruled out of the Champions Trophy, which India went on to win earlier this month.
India’s chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, had initially included Bumrah in the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy, hoping for a recovery. However, after traveling to Bengaluru for fresh scans in early February, Bumrah continued to experience discomfort and was eventually withdrawn from the final squad.
Mumbai Indians’ Upcoming Fixtures
Mumbai Indians will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign with two away matches:
- March 23 – Against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai
- March 29 – Against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad
Their first home game at Wankhede Stadium will be on March 31 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). MI will then face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow on April 4 before returning home to take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 7.
Hope for Bumrah’s Return
While there is no confirmed timeline for Bumrah’s comeback, reports suggest he could rejoin the MI squad in early April. If all goes well, fans might see the ace pacer back in action just in time for the crucial middle phase of the tournament.
For Mumbai Indians, his return will be a massive boost as they aim for another successful IPL season. Until then, the team will need to find the right balance to compensate for his absence and ensure a strong start to the campaign.