Jasprit Bumrah still unfit? MI coach shares important update, remains tight-lipped on playing XI

by · Inside Sport India

IPL 2025: Jasprit Bumrah has been the main bowler for MI over the years and last year picked 20 wickets in 13 matches.

Mumbai Indians enter into the IPL 2025 season without their premier bowler Jasprit Bumrah, and that leaves them in bit of a lurch. On top of that, skipper Hardik Pandya won’t be available for the CSK clash on March 23, due to a one-match ban. So what exactly is the status of Bumrah’s injury, and what XI will MI look to go for?

NO Jasprit Bumrah for Early MI Matches

MI coach Mahela Jayawardene tried to answer these questions. But that said, it was a rather unclear one on the pacer. “Jasprit is with NCA, and just started the process there. Will await their feedback on him. Progress will be monitored on day-to-day basis. Not having him is a challenge and the world’s best bowler is always an advantage for us,” Jayawardene told reporters in Mumbai.

Bumrah has been out of action since the final Australia Test in Sydney, due to a back injury, and also missed the recent Champions Trophy. “It is tough for me still to define which route are we going to take. Especially with Jasprit Bumrah not in that starting XI, and then Hardik Pandya missing out on the first game..

Yet to Get Clearance from NCA

The coach was also tight-lipped over the combination. “So, I have a few ideas around my head and I’ve had chats with Hardik, and the core group about that. Once I get to Chennai, I will have a good look at the wicket and see what our best combination will be, with three of four overseas players. I’m confident that sooner rather than later, we’ll get a settled combination.”

Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Deepak Chahar, Allah Ghazanfar, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Krishnan Shrijith, Raj Angad Bawa, Satyanarayana Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams, Vignesh Puthur, Corbin Bosch.