Mahela Jayawardene provides huge update on Jasprit Bumrah's availability for MI vs RCB IPL 2025 match
Mumbai Indians' (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene has provided a big update on Jasprit Bumrah's availability ahead of their IPL 2025 clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Monday, April 7, at the Wankhede Stadium. Jayawardene confirmed the right-arm speedster's availability for the game, and revealed that he had been training with the team on Sunday.
Bumrah joined the MI camp on Saturday, April 5, after the National Cricket Academy (NCA) cleared him to return to action following recovery from a back injury. Bumrah hasn't played a competitive game since the Sydney Test against Australia in the first week of January, where he couldn't bowl in the fourth innings due to the injury.
Speaking at the pre-game press conference, Jayawardene said, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo:
"He's available, he's training today, and should be available. He arrived last night, he had his sessions with NCA [National Cricket Academy, now Centre of Excellence] to finalise that, he's been handed over to our physios. He's bowling today, so all good."
Bumrah was one of the silver linings in Mumbai Indians' woeful campaign last year. While the five-time champions finished at the bottom of the points table, Bumrah picked up 20 wickets in 13 innings at 16.80.
"We're very happy to have him in the camp" - Mahela Jayawardene on Jasprit Bumrah
At the same time, Jayawardene cautioned against expecting too much from the right-arm speedster as he is returning from a considerable layoff. But the Sri Lankan tactician reckons his presence will boost the fellow pacers. He stated (via ESPNCricinfo):
"Boom's coming back from a pretty decent layoff, so we need to give him that space. Not expect too much. Knowing Jasprit he will be up for it. We're very happy to have him in the camp, the experience he brings, that extra voice out there in the middle, chatting with Boulty [Trent Boult], chatting with Deepak [Chahar] or any other younger bowler, giving that advice is also very valuable for us. That's what we're looking forward to from him."
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are coming off a defeat against the Gujarat Titans but are still more than capable of posing a threat to the Mumbai Indians. MI, too, will enter the game on the back of a defeat at the hands of the Lucknow Super Giants.