IPL 2025: Jasprit Bumrah’s Injury More Serious Than Expected, Comeback Delayed for Mumbai Indians

April 2, 2025: Mumbai Indians (MI) will have to continue their campaign without star pacer Jasprit Bumrah for a while longer, as his recovery from a serious lower-back injury is taking more time than initially anticipated. Bumrah, who has been undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, had initially been expected to rejoin MI in the second week of April. However, reports suggest that his return has now been delayed further due to the seriousness of his injury.

Sources within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed that Bumrah’s injury is more severe than initially expected, with the medical team taking extra precautions to ensure that he avoids a stress fracture. While Bumrah is fit and not in pain, the BCCI is determined not to rush his return to competitive cricket. This means Bumrah may not feature in MI’s upcoming games or even some of the five Tests scheduled on England soil. There is no confirmed timeline for his return, although he is hopeful of making a comeback by mid-April.

In Bumrah’s absence, MI’s pacers have stepped up, especially in their most recent win against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). After suffering two consecutive losses, MI bounced back in their first home game of IPL 2025 at Wankhede Stadium. The MI pacers were clinical in their approach, led by Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult, who created pressure upfront.

The highlight of the match, however, was the dream debut of 23-year-old left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar. Hailing from Mohali, Kumar had a stellar performance, taking four wickets for just 24 runs in three overs. His outstanding bowling figures were the best ever by an Indian bowler on IPL debut, earning him widespread praise.

MI chased down a modest target of 117 set by KKR with ease, securing a victory by eight wickets and 43 balls to spare. This win boosted MI’s net run rate (NRR) and placed them fifth in the points table.

Looking ahead, MI’s next match is against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Ekana Cricket Stadium on April 4. With Bumrah still sidelined, MI will hope that their in-form bowlers and explosive batting lineup can keep them in the hunt for a playoff spot as the IPL 2025 season progresses.