IPL 2025: 3 Players who can replace Jasprit Bumrah in Mumbai Indians Playing XI

Mumbai Indians (MI) will begin their Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) campaign without their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who is set to miss the first few games as he continues his recovery from a back injury. Bumrah, who sustained the injury during India’s final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney on January 4, is expected to join MI by early April, subject to clearance from the medical team of the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India).

This becomes another setback for the 31-year-old, who has struggled with back issues in recent years. Having missed the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which India won, Bumrah remains under close supervision at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. The exact number of matches he will miss remains uncertain, but MI will have to play in the early fixtures without their star pacer. Notably, the Ahmedabad-born pacer had missed the 2023 edition of the cash-rich league due to a similar back issue.

The five-time champions begin their season against Chennai Super Kings (March 23) before locking horns with Gujarat Titans (March 29) and playing their first home game against Kolkata Knight Riders (March 31). With Bumrah sidelined, MI’s think tank must strategize on finding a temporary replacement. The onus will now fall on Trent Boult, Corbin Bosch, and Deepak Chahar to handle the pace attack until their ace bowler returns.

Here are the three possible replacements for Jasprit Bumrah in Mumbai Indians playing XI:

3. Reece Topley

The Mumbai-based franchise secured English pacer Reece Topley for INR 75 lakhs in the IPL 2025 auction, and he could prove to be a valuable asset in Bumrah's absence. The 6-foot-7-inch tall left-armer's advantage of generating extra bounce and movement makes him different and unique. Known for his bowling variations, he has picked wickets in T20 cricket consistently, with 230 scalps at an average of 23.20.

Playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the previous two seasons, his IPL numbers are decent, with 5 wickets in 5 matches so far. With Trent Boult sharing the new ball alongside Deepak Chahar, Topley, alongside skipper Hardik Pandya, can come into attack during the second spell. His bounce and variations will be effective on the Wankhede pitch, making him a smart replacement option.