Jayawardene Worried Over Bumrah's Absence at Start of IPL

Recuperating from a back injury, India's star pacer Jasprit Bumrah's absence from the initial stages of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season will be a challenge for the Mumbai Indians, the franchise's head coach Mahela Jayawardene acknowledged on Wednesday, while adding that it will present an opportunity for someone else to step up even as the five-time champions gear up to open their campaign without regular skipper Hardik Pandya.

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Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Jayawardene said that Bumrah "is in good spirits" as he recovers at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (formerly the National Cricket Academy) in Bengaluru. "[Bumrah] has just started his progress. We have to wait and see what their [BCCI medical team] feedback is on him. At the moment, everything is going well. But, obviously, it is on a day-to-day basis. He is in good spirits. Not having him is a challenge. He is one of the best bowlers in the world and he has been a fantastic pro for us for many years," Jayawardene said.

"We'll have to wait or find an opportunity for someone else to step up. That's how I see it. It gives us an element of trying a few things and see how things work. The early part of the season allows us to do that."