Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 6 (ANI): In a major boost for the underperforming Mumbai Indians (MI), ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has rejoined the squad ahead of their upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 home fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Monday, as per ESPNcricinfo.

Bumrah's return comes after receiving medical clearance from the BCCI's medical team at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he had been undergoing rehabilitation since January due to stress-related discomfort in his lower back. He will now work closely with MI's support staff, headed by Mahela Jayawardene, to chart out a comeback plan.

The last update on Bumrah, dated April 4, indicated that he would at least miss the RCB game, with his return depending on the final round of fitness tests. Over the past few weeks, he has gradually increased his bowling workload at the BCCI facility and was only allowed to link up with MI after passing all necessary fitness assessments.

Known for his cautious approach to recovery, Bumrah is determined to be fully fit before returning to competitive cricket -- especially with India's crucial five-Test series in England, starting June 28, in mind.

MI have had a rocky start to IPL 2025, managing just one win from four games. In Bumrah's absence, the team handed debuts to newcomers like Satyanarayana Raju, Vignesh Puthur, and Ashwani Kumar, while Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and skipper Hardik Pandya have shouldered the pace-bowling responsibilities.

A one-franchise man, Bumrah has played his entire IPL career with Mumbai Indians since debuting in 2013, amassing 165 wickets in 133 matches. The 2023 season remains the only one he missed prior to this due to a back injury. His latest setback occurred on January 4, during the second day of the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney. He was subsequently ruled out of the Champions Trophy, which India went on to win last month. This is his first back-related issue since undergoing surgery in March 2023. (ANI)