Jasprit Bumrah’s comeback to competitive cricket could be delayed further. According to TOI, the star pacer might miss the first couple of weeks of IPL 2025 and is expected to join the Mumbai Indians camp only in April.
Currently, Bumrah is undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru after missing the ongoing Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury.
“Bumrah’s medical reports are okay. He has resumed bowling at the CoE. However, it is unlikely he’ll be able to bowl at the start of the IPL in another fortnight. As per current status, the first week of April looks a more realistic date for him to get back to high-intensity cricket,” a BCCI source said.
In this situation, Jasprit Bumrah is expected to miss Mumbai Indians’ first three or four matches. Reports suggest that he has yet to resume bowling at full intensity.
“It’s part of the standard protocol. The medical team will gradually increase his workload and intensity. He will only be cleared once he can bowl at full pace without discomfort for a sustained period,” a source stated.
Will the fast bowler be match-fit for the England Tests?
India has a tough five-Test series in England right after the IPL, and the main focus is on keeping Bumrah fit for as many matches as possible. Since it’s unclear whether Rohit Sharma will continue as Test captain, Bumrah is a strong candidate to replace him.
However, the selectors might choose a younger captain due to concerns about Bumrah’s fitness. With Bumrah and Mohammed Shami being injury-prone, the selectors are cautious about building India’s entire England tour around them.
“How Shami and Bumrah cope with the long IPL will be crucial. Shami is being closely monitored. Ideally, if both are available for two to three Tests, it would be the best-case scenario,” a source stated.
The team management is also wary of overburdening them, ensuring they don’t play all Tests together to avoid mid-series breakdowns—something that happened with Bumrah in Sydney, where the team relied too heavily on him in Australia.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj is almost certain to retain his Test spot, while Harshit Rana and Akash Deep will need to prove themselves. Mukesh Kumar and Arshdeep Singh are also in contention, with the India ‘A’ tour before the England series playing a crucial role in final selections.
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