Mumbai Indians have had a disappointing run so far in IPL 2025, losing three out of their first four matches. However, ahead of their next clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the team has received a major boost—star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has rejoined the squad. The confirmation came via Mumbai Indians’ official handle on X (formerly Twitter). The match between MI and RCB will be played on April 7 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Bumrah Was Undergoing Rehab at the COE
According to ESPNcricinfo, Bumrah joined the Mumbai Indians camp on Saturday after getting clearance from the BCCI medical staff at the Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru. He had sustained a back injury during the Australia tour and had been undergoing rehabilitation at the COE since January.
Practice Match Required for Fitness Assessment
Bumrah will now work with the Mumbai Indians support staff, led by Mahela Jayawardene, to finalize his comeback schedule. A crucial part of his return plan involves playing one or two practice games to assess his match fitness. It remains unclear whether he has already played these practice games at the COE or will do so with Mumbai Indians.
Will Bumrah Play Against RCB or Sit Out?
As of the last update on April 4, reports suggested that Bumrah was likely to miss the match against RCB. He had been gradually increasing his bowling workload in Bengaluru and was close to completing his final fitness tests. Now that he has joined the MI squad, it is still uncertain whether he will go straight into the playing XI or take a few more days to recover completely. Either way, his return to action is not far away.
Cautious About Recovery
Bumrah has been very cautious about his recovery, aiming to be fully fit before returning to competitive cricket. This approach also considers India’s upcoming five-match Test series in England starting June 28. In Bumrah’s absence, MI have given debuts to youngsters like Satyanarayana Raju, Vignesh Puthur, and Ashwini Kumar.
MI’s Bowling Line-up to Get Stronger
Currently, Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar are leading the pace attack, with skipper Hardik Pandya offering another seam option. Bumrah’s return will significantly strengthen this bowling line-up. Since making his IPL debut in 2013, Bumrah has played every season for MI except in 2023, when he was out due to a back stress fracture.
Also Read- MI vs RCB 2025 Pitch Report- Wankhede Stadium Pitch to Favour Batters or Bowlers
Bumrah’s Injury History
Bumrah suffered his most recent injury during the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney on January 4. He was later ruled out of the Champions Trophy, which India went on to win. In March 2023, he underwent back surgery and had since been a regular in Team India until January 2025. His heavy bowling workload during the Australia tour likely aggravated the issue again, but now he’s ready to return to the field.
