Jasprit Bumrah rejoins MI squad ahead of RCB clash, 'lion ready to roar' video goes viral (WATCH)
Jasprit Bumrah rejoins Mumbai Indians squad ahead of RCB clash, but his availability for the game remains uncertain.
In a much-needed boost for Mumbai Indians (MI), ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has rejoined the squad ahead of their high-stakes home encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Monday. However, it remains unclear if Bumrah will be available for selection straightaway.
Bumrah, who had been undergoing rehabilitation for a stress-related lower back discomfort since January, received clearance from the BCCI’s medical team at the National Cricket Academy's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru before linking up with MI on Saturday. The final decision on his comeback will now depend on the MI support staff, led by Director of Cricket Mahela Jayawardene, as they evaluate his match fitness and readiness.
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As part of his recovery plan, Bumrah was expected to play at least one or two practice matches to assess his bowling fitness. While it is not confirmed if those games took place during his rehab stint in Bengaluru, MI may conduct their own fitness assessment before giving the green light.
The last official update on Bumrah came on April 4, when it was reported that the 30-year-old speedster was set to miss the RCB match at the very least. Since then, Bumrah is believed to have significantly ramped up his bowling workload and was nearing the final phase of his fitness tests.
𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫𝒀 𝑻𝑶 𝑹𝑶𝑨𝑹 🦁 pic.twitter.com/oXSPWg8MVa
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan)According to a ESPNCricinfo report, Bumrah has been extra cautious about his return, keeping in mind the upcoming five-Test series against England starting June 28—a marquee assignment in India’s 2025 cricket calendar.
Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, have had a shaky start to their IPL 2025 campaign, with just one win from four outings. In Bumrah’s absence, the franchise handed IPL debuts to young pacers Satyanarayana Raju, Vignesh Puthur, and Ashwani Kumar. The pace attack has been spearheaded by Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar, with captain Hardik Pandya also contributing with the ball.
Bumrah has been a mainstay for MI since making his debut in 2013, amassing 165 wickets in 133 matches. The only IPL season he missed before was in 2023, owing to a back surgery. His latest injury occurred during the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Sydney on January 4, ruling him out of India’s successful Champions Trophy campaign last month.
With MI desperate to revive their season, fans and management alike will be hoping for a swift and safe return of their pace spearhead. Whether that happens as soon as Monday remains to be seen.
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