The Mumbai Indians have faced a rough patch this season, winning only one out of their first four matches. However, they received an important boost before their upcoming game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as star bowler Jasprit Bumrah rejoined the team. This information was confirmed through the official Mumbai Indians account on X (formerly Twitter). The encounter between MI and RCB is scheduled for April 7 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Bumrah was receiving rehabilitation at the Center of Excellence
As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Bumrah arrived back with the Mumbai Indians on Saturday after receiving medical clearance from the BCCI staff at the Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru. He had been rehabilitating there since January due to a back injury sustained during the Australia tour.
Bumrah will collaborate with the Mumbai Indians support team, led by Mahela Jayawardene, to finalize his return timetable. A key component of his comeback plan involves participating in one or two practice matches to evaluate his fitness for matches. It remains uncertain if these practice games have already taken place at the COE or if they will occur with the Mumbai Indians.
As of the latest information available on April 4, reports indicated that Bumrah was likely to miss the match against RCB. He had been ramping up his bowling workload in Bengaluru and was nearing the completion of his final fitness assessments. Now that he has linked up with the MI squad, it is still unclear if he will jump straight into the playing XI or take additional days to fully recover. Regardless, his return to the field seems imminent.
Bumrah has been particularly careful with his recovery, intending to be entirely fit before reentering competitive cricket. This strategy also takes into account the upcoming five-match Test series in England set to start on June 28. In Bumrah’s absence, MI has introduced new talents like Satyanarayana Raju, Vignesh Puthur, and Ashwini Kumar.
Presently, Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar are spearheading the pace attack, with captain Hardik Pandya providing another fast-bowling option. The addition of Bumrah will greatly enhance this bowling lineup. Since making his IPL debut in 2013, Bumrah has participated in every season for MI, except in 2023 when he was sidelined due to a back stress fracture.
Bumrah sustained his latest injury during the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney on January 4. Subsequently, he was ruled out of the Champions Trophy, which India won. In March 2023, he underwent back surgery and had consistently been a part of Team India until January 2025. His increased bowling workload during the Australia tour likely exacerbated the injury issue, but he is now ready to take the field again.