Mumbai Indians Navigate Jasprit Bumrah's Injury Ahead of IPL 2025 🏏
Mumbai Indians (MI) are facing an early-season challenge as star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah continues his recovery from a stress-related back injury. MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene acknowledged the difficulty of starting the IPL 2025 campaign without one of the world's premier bowlers, while expressing optimism about Bumrah's progress and the opportunity it presents for other players to step up.
Bumrah's Recovery and Timeline
During a press interaction in Mumbai on Wednesday, Jayawardene stated that Bumrah is currently recovering at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and is “in good spirits.” He emphasized that the situation is being monitored on a day-to-day basis, with feedback from the BCCI medical team crucial to determining his return timeline. While Bumrah hasn't fully recovered from the injury sustained during the second day of the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney on January 2nd, there is hope he could join the MI squad in early April.
“He has just started his progress. We have to wait and see what their [BCCI medical team] feedback is on him,” Jayawardene explained. “At the moment, everything is going well. But, obviously, it is on a day-to-day basis. He is in good spirits. Not having him is a challenge. He is one of the best bowlers in the world and he has been a fantastic pro for us for many years.”
Impact on MI's Bowling Strategy
Bumrah's absence necessitates a strategic rethink for MI's bowling plans. With Bumrah sidelined, the team will rely on Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Reece Topley, and Corbin Bosch (replacing Lizaad Williams) as frontline quicks, alongside captain Hardik Pandya and uncapped players Ashwani Kumar, Satyanarayana Raju, Arjun Tendulkar, and Raj Angad Bawa. A key concern is the lack of proven T20 death bowling experience, as Boult and Chahar primarily operate during the powerplay overs.
“We’ll have to wait or find an opportunity for someone else to step up. That's how I see it. It gives us an element of trying a few things and see how things work. The early part of the season allows us to do that,” Jayawardene added, highlighting the opportunity for other bowlers to showcase their abilities.
IPL 2025 Schedule and MI's Early Fixtures
MI's IPL 2025 campaign begins with two away matches. They face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai on March 23rd, followed by a clash against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad on March 29th. Their first home match is scheduled for March 31st against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Further matches in April include a trip to Lucknow to face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 4th and a home game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 7th.
Bumrah's IPL Record
Bumrah has been a mainstay in the MI squad since 2013, amassing an impressive record of 165 wickets in 133 matches. The only IPL season he missed was in 2023 due to a back injury.
Leadership Change
Adding to the team's adjustments, Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team in Hardik Pandya's absence for the IPL 2025 season opener.