T20 cricket is a batter’s game. And the IPL, particularly in the Impact Sub era, even more so. But still, the most anticipated return in IPL 2025 was not that of any batting superstar. It was for a bowler. The eyes of the entire cricketing world were watching Mumbai Indians’ home game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru with an extra edge. Because for the first time in 93 days, Jasprit Bumrah was back to bowling in competitive cricket.
Mumbai Indians had already announced that Jasprit Bumrah had rejoined the team, but until Hardik Pandya confirmed it at the toss, it was still uncertain whether the greatest bowler of his generation would end his long injury lay-off.
As it turned out, Jasprit Bumrah not only made a comeback, he had a bowling masterclass despite not being at his absolute peak. He returned 4-0-29-0 while RCB smashed 221/5. He went at 7.25 per over when no other bowler went below 10. And he did it bowling the toughest overs.
The start
Bumrah was brought on in the powerplay first up, which is not unusual. Captains will always want an over upfront if they have a Bumrah to call on, because early wickets in T20 cricket are gold-dust. And RCB had got a good start, being 33/1 in three overs. As it happened, Bumrah was smacked for six second ball by Virat Kohli.
It was great connection, but Kohli did take a risk by opening out and stepping away to make room. Despite that hit though, Bumrah conceded only 10 runs. And bowling at the left-right combination of Kohli and Padikkal, Bumrah showed no discomfort in switching between over and around the wicket too. The speeds were all in the region of 140 kmph, another encouraging sign, fitness wise.
Adaptation at Bumrah speed
The next over Bumrah came on for was the 11th of the innings. RCB had moved to 100/2, and had the platform to rise further in the second half of the innings. Bumrah showed why he has been the world’s best bowler with what he did.
While his first over had his speeds up, in this over, there was only one ball above 130 kmph, an attempted yorker that ended up as a low full toss. All his other balls were in the low 120s, or even below that at times. Bumrah had seen that taking pace off the ball made it much harder to hit, and in his first match back after more than three months, had the ability to change his pace as effortlessly as others change t-shirts. The result was five singles and one dot ball in the over.
The death overs masterclass
The best was yet to come though. With RCB’s batters exploding at the death, Bumrah was entrusted with overs 18 and 20. RCB were 192/4 in 17 overs when Bumrah came on and gave up just six singles in his over. Rajat Patidar was on 61 off 28 and Jitesh Sharma was on 17 off 6, and they couldn’t get Bumrah away for more than singles.
Bumrah mixed up his speeds in this over – another sign of the great skill allied with great thinking he has – and was comfortable going wider of the crease than normal too. The yorkers he was trying didn’t always come off, but because of a combination of speed, the dip Bumrah gets, and just the aura he has – the low full tosses couldn’t be put away either.
In the 20th over, he was almost as good. Jitesh went so deep in his crease off the penultimate ball that he was millimetres from his stumps. But he needed to go that deep to be able to get underneath a Bumrah ball, and hit it for six over midwicket. Despite that six, Bumrah gave up a mere eight runs in that over, the last of the innings.
He was coming back after 93 days, he was up against a rampaging batting line-up on a flat pitch, he was – as ever – carrying the hopes of his team, and he was not yet back to his peak bowling form where he could land every ball on a coin. And he still emerged with a standout performance.
Jasprit Bumrah is back. And he bowled almost as if he was never away.
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