The IPL 2025 season is approaching soon, and multiple franchises are still awaiting fitness updates on their key players. The tournament begins on March 22 with KKR taking on RCB in the first match at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Saturday.
Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, who will reportedly miss the matches in March for his franchise Mumbai Indians, several other cricketers are also awaiting clearance from the National Cricket Academy/Centre of Excellence to participate in the IPL 2025.
Sanju Samson, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Avesh Khan, along with Bumrah, are all awaiting approval from the BCCI's Bengaluru headquarters, as per a Cricbuzz report.
BCCI Sports Science chief Nitin Patel is directly watching the bowler, who is suffering from stress in his back, for which he had surgery in early 2023. Bumrah is expected to be cleared before the end of the month, though it is unclear when he will be permitted to wear the Mumbai Indians colors.
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.
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson had broken his finger thanks to a Jofra Archer bouncer and underwent surgery for the same. He is expected to be released soon as he has passed the batting test and needs to clear additional NCA tests to check if he can keep wickets.
RR has a backup keeper in Dhruv Jurel, and Royals play their first game in Hyderabad against SRH on March 23.
However, the biggest headache is for the Rishabh Pant-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Three of the first-choice Indian pacers—Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Avesh Khan—are presently at the NCA and trying to prove their fitness.
Mayank has been out of action since October 2024 due to back tension. Avesh is in rehab for knee cartilage. It is understood that he had injections for the ailment after being referred to the NCA following the conclusion of Madhya Pradesh's Ranji season.
Little is known about Mohsin's injury. The left-arm bowler last played a domestic game on December 31, in a Vijay Hazare match between UP and Chandigarh. In the game, the 26-year-old pacer bowled only 5.5 overs, and little is known about his condition subsequently.
At least two, if not all three, are expected to be cleared before their first game against DC on March 24 in Visakhapatnam.
(Cricbuzz inputs)
