Mumbai March 14 (KNS): Jasprit Bumrah is set to miss the opening matches of IPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians (MI) as he continues his recovery from a lower back injury. Bumrah, who has been out of action since January, is expected to rejoin the MI squad in early April, subject to clearance from the BCCI’s medical team at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

Bumrah suffered a stress-related back injury on January 4 during the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney. As a result, he missed India’s Champions Trophy campaign, which the team went on to win earlier this month. This is Bumrah’s first major injury setback since undergoing back surgery in March 2023.

In January, India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed that Bumrah was advised to rest for at least five weeks following the Sydney Test. Despite being named in India’s provisional Champions Trophy squad, Bumrah was later withdrawn after experiencing discomfort during follow-up scans in February.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Mumbai Indians begin their IPL 2025 campaign on March 23 against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai, followed by an away game against Gujarat Titans on March 29. MI will play their first home game on March 31, hosting Kolkata Knight Riders. They are scheduled to face Lucknow Super Giants on April 4 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 7.

The number of matches Bumrah will miss remains uncertain. His unique bowling action makes him prone to back injuries, prompting the BCCI and MI management to carefully monitor his workload.

Former New Zealand pacer and ex-MI bowling coach Shane Bond has cautioned that another serious back injury could be career-threatening for Bumrah. Bond, who battled similar injuries during his career, stressed the risks of transitioning quickly between T20 and Test formats. India are set to tour England for a five-Test series in June, shortly after the IPL concludes on May 25.(KNS)