Jasprit Bumrah returns to bolster Mumbai Indians ahead of RCB clash

Bumrah arrived on Saturday after receiving the all-clear from the BCCI's medical staff at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he had been rehabbing since January due to a stress-related issue with his lower back. The bowler will now work closely with MI's support staff, under Mahela Jayawardene, to finalize his comeback schedule.

Initially, Bumrah's return plan included playing in a practice match or two to gauge his fitness, though it's still unclear whether he completed these at the Centre of Excellence or if he'll do so with MI.

The last update on Bumrah came on April 4, where it was indicated that he would miss MI's upcoming game against RCB, though a return to action was still on the horizon.

Having been gradually building up his bowling workload in recent weeks, Bumrah is now nearing his final round of fitness tests. However, he has emphasized taking a cautious approach to ensure he is fully fit before making his comeback, especially with India's demanding five-Test series in England, starting June 28, on the horizon.

So far, MI has had a rocky start to IPL 2025, with just one win from four games. In Bumrah's absence, the team has handed debuts to Satyanarayana Raju, Vignesh Puthur, and Ashwani Kumar, while Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar have taken charge of the bowling attack. Captain Hardik Pandya has also been another seam-bowling option in the squad.

Bumrah, who has been with MI since 2013, has been a key player for the franchise, claiming 165 wickets in 133 IPL matches. The only season he missed was in 2023, when he was sidelined with a back injury. His most recent injury came during the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney on January 4, which led to his exclusion from the Champions Trophy - a tournament that India won in his absence. This marks the first back injury for Bumrah since undergoing surgery in March 2023.