Jasprit Bumrah is a vital cog in Mumbai Indians’ scheme of things in IPL.© BCCI
Star India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, sources told NDTV. The fast bowler has been out of action since September last year due to a back issue. According to sources, Bumrah may undergo back surgery to fully recover from the problem. The IPL 2023 starts on March 31 and Bumrah’s injury has given a big jolt to the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians’ plans.
If missing the IPL was not bad enough, Bumrah may not be available for the World Test Championship final in June too, where India is most likely to qualify.
It has been a frustrating wait for Bumrah, who has attempted to make a comeback more than once since suffering a back injury in August which ruled him out of the Asia Cup. Initially, the injury did not seem serious as he was named in India’s T20 World Cup squad in September and even played the last two T20Is against Australia on September 23 and 25.
Three days later, Bumrah did not play the first T20I against South Africa and it was learnt that he was taken for scans, which revealed a stress-related injury in his back. He was rushed to NCA and the scans there confirmed that the injury was serious. It ruled him out of the T20 World Cup, in which India achieved a semifinal finish.
Bumrah resumed his rehab in November and started to bowl in mid-December. His progress seemed to be positive as he was added in the white-ball series played in January more than a week after the original squad was picked up.
Bumrah had performed the match simulation exercises in the NCA, but discomfort resurfaced while taking up higher workloads during fitness drills in January. Scans revealed the development of a fresh niggle, which ruled him out of the Sri Lanka series and Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
Indian team management and skipper Rohit Sharma want Bumrah to return back to the side only after gaining full fitness, with Rohit warning against rushing the pacer back into the team.
With ANI inputs
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