As Mumbai Indians prepare to play against Gujarat Titans on Saturday, the head coach Mahela Jayawardene gave a report on key fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. He asserted that Bumrah is on good terms in recovery but did not give a particular timeline for returning to action this season in IPL 2025.
Currently, Bumrah is undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (formerly the National Cricket Academy) in Bengaluru after sustaining a lower back injury. The injury had forced him to sit out the second innings of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney. Since then, he has remained on the sidelines and even missed India's victorious Champions Trophy campaign.
"He's sticking to his recovery programme on a daily basis. All seems to be going well so far, but the NCA hasn't given a specific return date. We'll have to wait and see," Jayawardene said about Bumrah's recovery.
The 31-year-old is expected to return to the Mumbai team later in April. During his absence, the team has depended on Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar to spearhead the pace attack. Mumbai also gave a debut to young seamer Satyanarayana Raju in their season opener against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk, a game where Hardik Pandya was out of action due to suspension.
With Pandya returning to the team after completing a one-match suspension for over-rate infringement during last season, Jayawardene wants the supporters to forget about the last year's drama. Pandya being appointed as the captain in place of Rohit Sharma had already raised a hue and cry from fans.
"It's just part of the game. Fans come with passion, and emotions are a natural part of it, but I feel that everyone has moved on," said Jayawardene.
He further elaborated on the nature of loyalty in the IPL, saying, "It’s fascinating to see how loyalty plays out in this league. I’ve enjoyed observing it from the outside. Over the past year, Hardik has accomplished a lot, and I’m confident fans will look beyond last season. Ultimately, it’s about enjoying a great game of cricket."
