Bumrah Out, Pandya To Bring Surprise Pacer? MI's Strongest Bowling Unit For Initial IPL 2025 Matches

MI players in action [Source: IPLT20.com]

According to emerging reports, Mumbai Indians' premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has yet to recover from injury. The experienced pacer missed the recently held Champions Trophy, with a back injury ruling him out of action. 

Now, with MI preparing for the IPL 2025, Bumrah is unlikely to get fit for the first few matches of the tournament. If the fast bowler gets sidelined, let's analyse and find out what MI's strongest bowling unit could be in his absence. 

New Ball Bowlers: Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult

(IPL stats of Chahar and Boult in powerplay)

• Trent Boult has represented Mumbai Indians in the past. The former New Zealand pacer returned to the franchise after being released by Rajasthan Royals. He can swing the new ball up front and could be a huge threat to the opponent's top order. 
• Meanwhile, Deepak Chahar should be Boult's bowling partner in the powerplay. The former CSK bowler has 58 IPL wickets in the first six overs, recording a dot percentage of 51.5. 
• While Boult can be deadly with his in-swing into the right-handed batters, Chahar's out-swing makes him a perfect partner for the Kiwi superstar. 

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Other Pacers: Hardik Pandya, Satyanarayana Penmetsa

• Skipper Hardik Pandya should be MI's most-trusted weapon as a third seamer, thanks to his hit-the-deck bowling, cutters and variations. In 93 innings, Pandya has scalped 64 wickets, averaging 33.59 and striking at 22.16. 
• Mumbai Indians have Corbin Bosch in their squad, but they might not make room for the pacer if they decide to include Will Jacks, which they probably will. 
• In such a scenario, they might use promising pacer Venkata Satyanarayana Penmetsa as an impact substitute, only if the situation demands. The right-arm pacer has bagged seven wickets at an average of 26.9 and a strike rate of 19.6. 

Spinners: Mitchell Santner, Karn Sharma

(Stats of Karn and Santner in middle overs)

New Zealand's experienced spinner Mitchell Santner should be slotted in the playing XI, as his inclusion will strengthen MI's lower order. Besides contributing crucial runs, Santner can be a game-changer with the ball, as evidenced by the above stats. 

Meanwhile, Karn Sharma should make it into MI's playing XI as the second spinner in Bumrah's absence. He can complement Santner's left-arm spin with his leg breaks in the middle overs. 

Thus, MI will have five proper bowling options, including Pandya, with multidimensional players like Will Jacks and Naman Dhir chipping in with a few overs. 

With Bumrah set to miss a few games, the five-time champions should emphasise a deep batting unit and several bowling options in their lineup. While their powerplay and middle order bowling looks sorted, they might have an issue or two in slog overs. 

MI's Strongest Bowling Unit For IPL 2025 In Bumrah's Absence

Proper Bowlers: Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Karn Sharma
Batting all-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks
Bowling all-rounders: Mitchell Santner
Probable impact substitute (Bowler): Satyanarayana Penmetsa

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