IPL 2025: Jasprit Bumrah likely to miss start of season; Sanju Samson set to get clearance, wait on for Mayank Yadav | Cricket News

Jasprit Bumrah is slated to miss the start of IPL 2025 with injury.

Mumbai Indians star pacer Jasprit Bumrah is expected to miss the initial matches of IPL 2025 due to an ongoing recovery from a lower back injury sustained in January. The injury occurred during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney, preventing him from bowling in Australia’s second innings where they achieved a six-wicket victory.
Bumrah, who claimed 32 wickets in five matches during that series, has remained inactive since then. He also missed India’s successful Champions Trophy campaign.
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Despite being included in India’s provisional squad for the ICC event, he couldn’t achieve the required fitness levels, leading to his replacement by mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy.
“His recuperation is going well. But at this stage it is better to give him some more time to return to peak fitness, considering India’s Test series against England in June,” a source close to the development told news agency PTI.

The BCCI Centre of Excellence physios haven’t established a specific timeline for Bumrah’s return, though he has been gradually increasing his workload in nets and match simulations.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar had previously recommended five weeks of complete “off-loading” until late January to reduce stress on Bumrah’s injured back. This step was necessary as Bumrah had faced a similar injury in 2023, requiring surgery in March that year.
Bumrah’s potential absence significantly impacts Mumbai Indians’ hopes of reclaiming the IPL title after finishing tenth last season.

In Bumrah’s absence, the Hardik Pandya-led team will rely heavily on pacers Trent Boult, Corbin Bosch, and Deepak Chahar. Hardik will need to take on additional bowling responsibilities while the 30-year-old recovers.
Mumbai Indians begin their campaign against Chennai Super Kings on March 23 in Chennai, followed by an away game against Gujarat Titans on March 29 in Ahmedabad. They return home to face Kolkata Knight Riders on March 31.
The five-time champions then play Lucknow Super Giants on April 4 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 7. Current indications suggest Bumrah will miss these matches, though he might join the squad in early April.
Samson, Mayank await clearance

Sanju Samson will lead Rajasthan Royals during the 2025 edition of IPL.

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has completed recovery following surgery on his right index finger, an injury sustained during the home T20I series against England. While physios are satisfied with his batting ability, they want to assess his wicketkeeping comfort levels.
If Samson is not cleared for wicketkeeping duties, Dhruv Jurel could take over the role during IPL.
Fast bowler Mayank Yadav’s last competitive match was for Madhya Pradesh against Kerala in January, where he experienced back discomfort. Mayank has been recovering at the NCA alongside Lucknow Super Giants teammates Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan.