Indian cricket has been dealt a blow as premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah faces delays in his comeback due to a back injury sustained during the Sydney Test in early January. Currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), Bumrah is gradually increasing his workload to mitigate the risk of a stress fracture, according to a TOI Report.
A BCCI source noted to TOI, “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.”
This cautious approach means Bumrah’s participation in the upcoming five-Test series in England remains uncertain, with selectors not counting on him for all matches.
In parallel, pacer Akash Deep is also on the recovery path from a back injury that sidelined him during the Australian tour. Experiencing discomfort before the Sydney Test, Akash Deep is now aiming for a comeback around April 10. The BCCI source mentioned, “Akash Deep too hopes to get back by April 10.”
Both players’ recoveries are being closely monitored, with the BCCI medical team and CoE bowling coach set to provide final clearances to ensure they are fit for the demands of high-performance cricket.
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However, there is optimism for Bumrah’s return to the Mumbai Indians lineup by mid-April during the IPL 2025 season. The source added, “No definite timeline has been set yet, but one hopes he gets back by mid-April.”
Mumbai Indians are likely to ease Bumrah back into action once he is declared fit. With the IPL 2025 season expected to be in full swing by mid-April, the franchise will be hoping their star pacer can return in time for the second half of the league stage. Given his match-winning ability, Mumbai would prefer not to rush him and instead bring him back in a phased manner to ensure long-term fitness.
While Bumrah has avoided a stress fracture, the signs are still worrying. According to Shane Bond, who worked with him previously at Mumbai Indians, the situation is on the edge and India cannot afford to make the same mistake of overbowling him again.
A moment that raised eyebrows came during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne when skipper Rohit Sharma was caught on camera asking Bumrah to bowl one more over. Bumrah’s reply — “Bas abhi. Nahi lag raha hai zor [Enough now. I’m not able to push more],” — went viral, offering a glimpse into the physical toll on him.
“In Australia it was just the sheer volume of overs that got him [Jasprit Bumrah] in the end – in those five Test matches his performance was ridiculous, and they leaned on him a lot and I think he might’ve bowled 50 overs in a Test match,” Bond told ESPNCricinfo recently. “And I suppose the lesson is, you can’t have him bowl that many overs again in a Test match. Forty-five might be the top, and we can’t risk it because he’s too valuable.
“He hasn’t got a fracture, he is on the borderline of a fracture. But what India would have learned is, if you then look at a five-Test match series in England and they do the same thing, they are probably going to get the same result.”
Bond stressed the need for careful management given Bumrah’s workload across formats.
“Because if you lose him, you have got T20 World Cups, you’ve got 50-overs World Cups and he’s an important member across all formats, IPL, all that sort of stuff.”
As of now, Bumrah remains under the supervision of the BCCI’s medical team, with hopes of returning later in the IPL 2025 season for Mumbai Indians. However, no official return date has been confirmed yet although the TOI report suggests he might be ready by mid-April.
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