Jayawardene acknowledges the challenge of starting IPL 2025 without Bumrah

Jayawardene Acknowledges Challenge of Starting IPL 2025 Without Bumrah

Mahela Jayawardene, head coach of the Mumbai Indians (MI), admitted that missing Jasprit Bumrah for the initial games of IPL 2025 is a "challenge," but remains hopeful that the star pacer will join the squad soon. Speaking at a press interaction in Mumbai on Wednesday, Jayawardene provided an update on Bumrah’s recovery, stating that the fast bowler is in "good spirits" as he continues his rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (formerly the National Cricket Academy) in Bengaluru.

“[Bumrah] has just started his progress. We have to wait for feedback from the BCCI medical team,” Jayawardene said. “So far, everything is going well, but it’s a day-to-day process. He is in good spirits. Not having him is a challenge—he’s one of the best bowlers in the world and has been a fantastic asset for us over the years.”

The MI coach emphasized the need for other players to step up in Bumrah’s absence. “We’ll have to wait or find opportunities for someone else to rise to the occasion. It also gives us a chance to try different combinations in the early part of the season.”

Bumrah's Absence and MI's Bowling Strategy

Since making his IPL debut in 2013, Bumrah has been a key performer for MI, taking 165 wickets in 133 matches. The only season he missed was in 2023 due to a back injury. Now, his absence once again poses a selection dilemma for MI, as their bowling attack will need to adapt, especially in the death overs.

The MI squad features pace options like Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Reece Topley, and Corbin Bosch (who replaced Lizaad Williams), along with all-rounder and captain Hardik Pandya. Uncapped players Ashwani Kumar, Satyanarayana Raju, Arjun Tendulkar, and Raj Angad Bawa are also part of the pace unit. However, with Boult and Chahar primarily excelling in the powerplay, MI could face challenges in closing out games without Bumrah’s proven death-bowling expertise.

Bumrah’s Recovery Timeline

As per ESPNcricinfo, Bumrah has yet to fully recover from the stress-related back injury that has sidelined him since January. He is expected to join the MI squad in early April. The pacer sustained the injury during the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney on January 4 and was subsequently ruled out of the Champions Trophy, which India went on to win.

When India’s Champions Trophy squad was announced in January, chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed that Bumrah had been advised to offload for at least five weeks following the Sydney Test. Though he was initially included in India’s provisional squad, fresh scans in early February confirmed ongoing discomfort, leading to his omission from the final team.

MI’s Upcoming Fixtures

Mumbai Indians begin their IPL 2025 campaign with two away fixtures: against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 23 and Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 29. Their first home match will be against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 31. They will then face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 4 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 7.

With Bumrah expected to return around early April, MI’s pace attack will have to hold the fort in the initial games. The team will be hoping that a combination of experience and fresh faces can step up until their star bowler is fit to return.

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