IPL: Injuries to Indian Pacers May Impact Broader Strategies
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Kolkata: Jasprit Bumrah has missed an entire IPL season only once. Although he is expected to miss just the initial matches this time, his absence from the Mumbai Indians must be acknowledged as a necessary sacrifice for his participation in the upcoming five-Test series in Australia. This situation has become a common reality for India's fast bowling contingent; a few years ago, the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, and Umesh Yadav were effectively utilized based on pitch conditions, with Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Mukesh Kumar gradually being integrated into the team.
However, the dynamics have shifted significantly. Siraj's performance has declined, Shami's stamina appears to be waning, Krishna is frequently sidelined due to injuries, and Umesh has fallen out of favor. This leaves Kumar and Deep as the next options, although Gautam Gambhir has sought to enhance the pace attack by introducing Harshit Rana during the tour of Australia.
Rohit Sharma raised concerns regarding this situation prior to the home series against New Zealand, emphasizing the need for immediate reflection and a swift solution. He stated, “We aim to establish a robust bench strength so that if any player is unavailable, we are not overly concerned or reliant on a select few. This approach is not sustainable,” he remarked last October.
“Our focus is on the future, while also ensuring we select the right players. We want to develop individuals who can seamlessly step into roles in the event of injuries. It’s not merely about having three or four alternatives; we aspire to achieve a similar depth in our bowling lineup as we have in batting, where numerous options are available.”
The IPL has become the primary development platform for Indian cricket. Like Bumrah and Siraj, most players have showcased their talents here. Before making his mark in the Ranji Trophy, Rana had already participated in a season with KKR in 2022. Mayank Yadav, who was included in the traveling reserves for the New Zealand series, first caught attention in the IPL with LSG due to his impressive pace. However, he too is currently facing challenges.
Yet it seems to have become routine for most young fast bowlers to get injured. This is the second time in two IPL seasons that Mayank is struggling to be fit. Last year, he was sidelined for five matches due to an abdominal soreness. He came back, only to be pulled off the field again after bowling just 3.1 overs against Mumbai Indians. Lucknow Super Giants seem to be particularly unlucky in this department, waiting on the clearance certificates of Mohsin Khan and Avesh Khan as well.
Mohsin, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, has not participated in a competitive match since the Vijay Hazare encounter against Chandigarh on December 31. Avesh's injury is reported to be severe, and he is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA for a knee cartilage issue. All these players are crucial for ensuring a strong future for India's pace attack; however, their injuries have impeded the senior team's efforts to develop this group further. The minimum expectation moving forward is a complete season of bowling, yet the track record of younger fast bowlers does not inspire much optimism. While workload management for fast bowlers has been a prominent topic in recent years, it is not applicable to young bowlers who have scarcely bowled outside of the IPL.
The situation of Umran Malik is particularly noteworthy. He was ruled out of IPL 2025 on Sunday due to injury, with KKR selecting left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya as his replacement. After gaining attention for his remarkable speed, which accelerated his career progression, he has quickly faded from the spotlight. Malik was a standout player for Sunrisers Hyderabad, claiming 22 wickets in 14 matches during the 2022 season and reaching speeds of 157 kph to mark his entry into the league. Following his debut for India, he was afforded numerous opportunities due to his impressive pace.
However, once his economy rate suffered, Malik was sidelined. SRH released him, and KKR acquired him for a modest sum of ₹75 lakh, a significant drop from his previous retention price of ₹4 crore. There is optimism that Mayank, Mohsin, and Avesh will be fit to participate in this IPL. For Indian fast bowling to continue making an impact, it is essential that all of them perform well this season.
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