Mumbai: Fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is available for selection for Mumbai Indians’ match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, happening at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, confirmed head coach Mahela Jayawardene.
“He’s available, he’s training today, and should be available (for RCB game). He arrived last night, he had his sessions with NCA (now called as CoE), and he’s been handed over to our physios. He’s bowling today (in the practice session), so all good,” said Jayawardene in the pre-match press conference on Sunday.
Bumrah had been out of action since suffering a back injury on day two of the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The injury needed rehab at the CoE meant Bumrah missed out on India’s victorious 2025 Champions Trophy campaign.
The news of Bumrah’s availability comes as a big boost to MI, who have won just one game in IPL 2025 so far. The last time these two teams met at Wankhede Stadium, Bumrah took a five-wicket haul as MI beat RCB by seven wickets.
Since making his IPL debut in 2013, Bumrah has been the lynchpin of MI’s bowling line-up, picking up 165 wickets in 133 matches for the franchise. The only season he missed for MI in the IPL was in 2023, when he was recovering from a back injury which needed surgery.
Jayawardene also gave an update on the fitness of veteran batter Rohit Sharma, who missed the side’s 12-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants due to being hit on the knee during his practice sessions.
“Ro looks good. He is going to bat today as well. It was just an unfortunate impact on his leg while batting. So, it’s not comfortable. We were travelling yesterday, and he will have a hit today and then we will do an assessment on that,” he added.
(IANS)
