Mumbai Indians Face Early Setback as Jasprit Bumrah Could Miss Initial IPL 2025 Games
Jasprit Bumrah, the fast bowler, is set to miss at least the first three matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 as he continues to recover from a back injury sustained during India’s tour of Australia. Bumrah has been sidelined since suffering the back strain in the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney.
He is expected to join the Mumbai Indians camp in the first week of April, pending clearance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical team, according to ESPNCricinfo. Both the BCCI and Mumbai Indians are eager to avoid rushing him back into competitive play, opting instead to give him ample time for a full recovery. Bumrah has been training at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru to regain full fitness.
Mumbai Indians will begin their IPL 2025 campaign on March 23, facing off against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai, a day after the season opener between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They will then travel to Ahmedabad to play the Gujarat Titans on March 29, before returning to Mumbai for a home match against defending champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders on March 31.
In the first week of April, Mumbai Indians will take on Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on April 4, followed by a home fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 7. After a busy opening fortnight, Mumbai will enjoy a six-day break before heading to Delhi for a match on April 13.
Bumrah was initially named in India’s Champions Trophy squad but was replaced by Varun Chakravarthy after the BCCI and team management decided against rushing him back. His recurring back issues led to India’s cautious approach, especially after the 2022 T20 World Cup.
During the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Bumrah featured in all five Tests, captaining India to a memorable victory in Perth in Rohit Sharma’s absence. He reclaimed the captaincy for the final Test but had to withdraw due to injury, and India’s loss in that match ended their chance to level the series.
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