MI sorely missed CSK in their IPL 2025 opener vs CSK, and crashed to a defeat. There has been no official confirmation on the India pacer’s expected return.
Jasprit Bumrah was a glaring absence in the Mumbai Indians playing XI as they opened their IPL 2025 campaign vs Chennai Super Kings, on Sunday. The India pacer hasn’t yet recovered from the stress-related back injury that has kept him out of action since January. He sustained the injury on the second day of the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test, and was also ruled out from the Champions Trophy campaign. This is also the first time Bumrah has sustained a back injury after his surgery in March 2023.
Mumbai Indians’ Jasprit Bumrah in action during IPL 2024(AP)
Meanwhile, when Ajit Agarkar announced India’s Champions Trophy squad in January, he revealed Bumrah had been asked by the BCCI medical team to offload for at least five weeks so that he can recover.
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‘Won’t dwell into the time frame’: MI coach on Jasprit Bumrah’s return
Speaking after MI’s defeat to CSK, assistant coach Paras Mhambrey was asked about Bumrah’s return. But the former cricketer’s response showed that Bumrah’s return could take some time.
“He is doing well. I thought whatever information we got from the NCA, we are happy with his progress,” he said.
“But I won’t dwell into the time frame right now. I would leave it to the upper management team, who are coordinating with the NCA guys. They are pretty happy. Fingers crossed, so I definitely would want him. He is a big part of Mumbai Indians, a success for many years.
“I would definitely want him in the team. We are happy with the progress and we will just see how it goes,” he further added.
Ahead of MI’s season opener, many fans and experts felt that it would be a challenge to face CSK without Bumrah. It turned out to be true as CSK dismantled MI with ease. Chasing 156 runs, Chennai reached 158/6 in 20 overs, with Rachin Ravindra (65*) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (53*) getting half-centuries.
Bumrah has taken 165 wickets in 133 matches in the IPL, with an average of 22.51 and an economy rate of 7.30, making him MI’s second-highest wicket-taker after Lasith Malinga. Bumrah also has two fifers and four-wicket hauls in his IPL career.
