Team India and Mumbai Indians pacer Jasprit Bumrah is already set to miss the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 which gets underway on March 31. Bumrah has been out of action since the Asia Cup 2022 last year and India’s premier fast bowler is set to undergo a back surgery to get him fit before the ICC ODI World Cup in India later this year.


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The National Cricket Academy (NCA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have identified a surgeon from New Zealand, who has also treated Bumrah’s new teammate Jofra Archer from England, to conduct this surgery in Auckland as soon as possible, according to a report in Cricbuzz website.


It is believed that Bumrah’s recovery period will be between 20 and 24 weeks. “The immediate implication is that he could be out of action till September, missing the IPL and the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) in London, should India qualify, in the process. Bumrah has been out of action for the last five months,” the report stated.


Bumrah will face a long break from cricket, and is even doubtful for the Asia Cup (in August-September). “The current priority of the BCCI management is to get him ready for the World Cup in October-November,” the report read.



According to the report, surgeon Rowan Schouten, who is based in Christchurch, will operate on Bumrah. Schouten, in the past, had worked with Grahame Inglis, a renowned surgeon in the field of orthopedics. Inglis had operated upon a few New Zealand players, including Shane Bond who is currently the bowling coach of Mumbai Indians.


Schouten is famous in the sporting circles and is considered to be the best in the business, knowing how to go about the procedure. He had assisted Inglis in the surgery of Australian pacer James Pattinson while he also handled the surgery of Ben Dwarshuis and Jason Behrendorff who had also struggled with back issues apart from Archer.


Five-time champions MI will severely miss the services of Bumrah as they were hoping for a top bowling pair with Archer now fit to play in IPL 2023 after missing the entire last season. Bumrah has 145 wickets in 120 IPL games at an average of just 23.3.