Mumbai Indians (MI) may have to start their 2025 IPL season without Jasprit Bumrah, as the star player is still recovering from a back injury that has sidelined him since January. Sources reveal that Bumrah is likely to rejoin the squad in early April, pending approval from the medical team at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. This means he could potentially miss three games in March for MI.
Bumrah has been recovering from a stress-related lower back injury sustained during the second day of the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney on January 4. As a result, he was unable to participate in the Champions Trophy, which India emerged victorious in earlier this month. This marks his first back injury since undergoing surgery in March of 2023.
During the announcement of the squad for Champions Trophy in January, Ajit Agarkar, India’s chief selector, mentioned that Bumrah had been advised by the BCCI medical team to rest for a minimum of five weeks (after the SCG Test). As the Champions Trophy was scheduled to begin on February 19, Bumrah’s name was initially included in India’s provisional squad. However, when he underwent further scans in Bengaluru in early February, he still experienced discomfort and was ultimately not selected for the final squad.
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The exact number of matches Bumrah would miss and a confirmed return date could not be determined.
In the upcoming 2025 IPL, MI will be playing their first two matches away from home. Their campaign will kick off on March 23 against CSK in Chennai, followed by a match against GT in Ahmedabad on March 29. Two days after their second away game, they will finally have their first home match against KKR on March 31. The first week of April will see them facing LSG in Lucknow on April 4 and hosting RCB at home on April 7.
Due to his distinctive approach, Bumrah is more prone to experiencing back problems. As a result, the BCCI medical team, selectors, and team strategists must carefully manage his workload and prioritize giving him adequate rest between series/tournaments.
Former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond, who previously served as the bowling coach for MI, recently cautioned that another back injury in the same spot where Bumrah underwent surgery could potentially end his career.
According to Bond, the main concern for Bumrah and other fast bowlers is the quick shift from T20 to Test cricket, which could potentially lead to severe back problems. This is an issue that Bond himself faced during his own playing days. With India’s upcoming five-Test series in England just a month after the conclusion of the IPL on May 25, Bond hopes that Bumrah will be able to manage this transition without any risk to his health.
MI’s star player, Jasprit Bumrah, will be absent in the initial IPL 2025 matches as he recuperates from a recent back injury that has sidelined him since January. Sources reveal that Bumrah will most likely rejoin the team in early April, pending approval from BCCI’s medical experts at their Bengaluru facility. This timeline coincides with three scheduled games for MI in March.
The stress-related injury in Bumrah’s lower back has kept him sidelined since the second day of the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test on January 4. As a result, he was unable to participate in this month’s Champions Trophy, which India emerged victorious in. This marks Bumrah’s first back injury since his surgery in March 2023.
During the squad announcement for the Champions Trophy in January, India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar had informed that Bumrah was advised by the BCCI medical team to rest for at least five weeks after the SCG Test. As the tournament began on February 19, Bumrah’s name was initially included in India’s provisional squad. However, he underwent further scans in Bengaluru in early February due to persistent discomfort and was ultimately left out of the final squad.
The exact number of matches Bumrah would miss and his expected return date could not be confirmed.
MI will kick off their IPL 2025 season with two away matches. The first one will take place in Chennai against CSK on March 23, followed by a match against GT in Ahmedabad on March 29. Two days later, they will finally have their first home game against KKR on March 31. This will be followed by two more matches in the first week of April – one away game against LSG in Lucknow on April 4 and another home match against RCB on April 7.
Bumrah’s distinctive style has made him prone to back problems, prompting the BCCI medical team, selectors, and team strategists to carefully manage his workload and ensure he receives sufficient rest between series and tournaments.
Former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond, who previously coached Bumrah at MI, recently cautioned that a recurrence of Bumrah’s back injury in the same location where he underwent surgery could potentially end his career.
Bond, who had experienced ongoing back problems during his time as a player, expressed concern over the “risk” fast bowlers face when switching rapidly from T20 to Test cricket. This was particularly relevant for Bumrah, with India set to play a five-Test series in England immediately after the IPL concludes on May 25th.
