IPL 2025: Good News for Mumbai Indians! Bumrah To Return?
But the ace speedster's comeback is still not confirmed
India and (Mumbai Indians) MI pace ace Jasprit Bumrah, who is currently in the final stages of rehabilitation for a lower back stress injury, seems to be closer to returning to top-flight cricket.
Bumrah is undergoing recovery at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and is reportedly close to completing his fitness tests. According to a report in ESPN Cricinfo, Bumrah is increasing his bowling workload and is closer to a comeback.
The report, however, did not give any specific date for his return. Bumrah has already missed Mumbai Indians' first three matches this season and, according to the report, is set to miss at least two more, including tonight's game against Lucknow SuperGiants and the April 7 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. While no exact date has been confirmed, there is optimism that Bumrah could return to action later in April, provided he clears the final fitness tests.
The BCCI medical team is closely monitoring his progress, and Bumrah himself is being cautious to ensure he is fully fit before returning to competitive cricket. His absence though has been felt by the Mumbai Indians, who have relied on young pacers like Ashwani Kumar and Satyanarayana Raju to fill the void, while Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar lead the pace attack.
Both Bumrah and the BCCI are being extremely careful to ensure he doesn't return prematurely, as there are concerns about aggravating his injury. Bumrah has been sidelined since January 2025 due to a stress-related lower back injury sustained during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His recovery is being managed with an eye on India's upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting on June 28, 2025. Both Bumrah and the BCCI are prioritising his long-term fitness over a rushed return to IPL.
Bumrah had earlier missed the 2023 IPL season with a back injury.
