It's not just Jasprit Bumrah - several other cricketers are also awaiting clearance from the National Cricket Academy/Centre of Excellence to participate in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) Season 18. Sanju Samson, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Avesh Khan, along with Bumrah, are all seeking the go-ahead from the Bengaluru centre of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
All eyes are, of course, on Bumrah. The India spearhead, who has been sidelined since the first innings of the Sydney Test during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier in January, has been undergoing rehabilitation in Bengaluru. Sources say that outgoing BCCI Sports Science chief Nitin Patel is personally monitoring the pacer, who is dealing with stress on his back, an ailment for which he underwent surgery in early 2023. It is likely that Bumrah will be cleared by the end of the month, although it remains uncertain when exactly he will be able to don the Mumbai Indians colors.
MI play their first game on the second day of the season, against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai on March 23, followed by another away game, against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on March 29. Their first home game is scheduled for March 31, against Kolkata, and there is a chance that Bumrah could be available for that match but not a total certainty. He could potentially join the MI camp earlier, although it is unlikely that he will travel with the team to Chennai and Ahmedabad.
Sanju Samson, who underwent surgery for a right index finger fracture sustained during the home T20 series against England last month, is likely to be released soon. It is understood that he has passed the fitness test for his batting but still needs to clear the NCA's scrutiny for his wicketkeeping. There may be some additional tests for his keeping in the next couple of days before the Rajasthan Royals captain receives full or partial clearance. In any case, the Royals have Dhruv Jurel, who kept wickets for India, in their squad, to step in for Sanju behind the stumps. The Royals will play their first game in Hyderabad against SRH on March 23.
Meanwhile, Lucknow SuperGiants are awaiting clearance for their three pacers - Mayank, Mohsin, and Avesh. Mayank is suffering from back stress and has been out of action since October 2024. Avesh is undergoing rehab for knee cartilages. It is learnt that he took injections for the problem after being referred to the NCA on the completion of Madhya Pradesh's last game (Ranji Trophy) against Kerala in January. He has been undergoing rehab since.
Not much is known about Mohsin's injury. The left-arm pacer last featured in a domestic game on December 31, during a Vijay Hazare match between UP and Chandigarh. In that game, the 26-year-old pacer bowled only 5.5 overs, and since then, there has been little information about his condition.
The expectation is that at least two of them, if not all three, will be cleared before the start of their first game, against Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam on March 24. LSG have made significant investments in these pacers, who are virtually the backbone of the team's pace attack.