“Jasprit Bumrah’s Injury More Severe Than Expected”: Mumbai Indians Face Another Setback as Pacer’s Return Faces Delays

After two consecutive losses, the Mumbai Indians secured their first victory of the season in the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thanks to rookie pacer Ashwani Kumar. With Jasprit Bumrah out injured, MI had to dig deep into their resources and rely on inexperienced players in their quest for their first win of the campaign. While MI are learning to stay afloat, the management is eagerly awaiting Bumrah’s return. However, the pacer is unlikely to be drafted into the team’s XI anytime soon, despite reaching the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Bumrah, who has been nursing a back injury, is being gradually pushed towards full fitness as his injury is ‘a bit more serious’. It has been reported that although Bumrah is clinically fit, his workload is being increased gradually to minimize the risk of a stress fracture in his back.

“Bumrah’s injury is a bit more serious. The medical team wants to ensure he doesn’t suffer a stress fracture. Bumrah himself is being careful. He is bowling at the CoE, but it could take longer to get back in full swing. No definite timeline has been set yet, but one hopes he gets back by mid-April,” the Times of India quoted a source as saying.

The CoE would need to give Bumrah and other pacers in a similar position the clearance to participate in the IPL. At present, it doesn’t look like Bumrah is anywhere close to a return.

Ashwani Impresses Mumbai Indians Bowling Coach

MI bowling coach Paras Mhambrey was impressed with Ashwani’s composure. “To see someone coming in, in their first game, under pressure, I’m happy for him. He worked on his strengths and focused on what he does best, and that gave him results. It’s not about performance, it’s about going out and enjoying what you do,” Mhambrey said.

Ashwani was one of three changes MI made for the contest against the Knight Riders, and the bowling coach explained the rationale behind his selection.

“He’s a left-arm seamer who swings the ball and has high pace, which ticks a lot of boxes for us. We always knew that Wankhede is a wicket that has a lot of bounce compared to others. He’s the kind of guy who swings the ball and has high pace as well, so we felt it was the right surface for him to play,” Mhambrey stated.