The stage is prepared for an exciting showdown between Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli as the Mumbai Indians face off against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2025 edition of the IPL. These two prominent franchises will clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday evening. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes that this matchup between two cricketing icons does not represent a "best vs best battle."

Match No. 20 of the 18th season of the T20 tournament will signify Jasprit Bumrah's return to competitive play after being sidelined since January due to a back injury.

Bumrah experienced a back spasm during the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Sydney, which has kept him out of action. This injury also caused him to miss the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025. However, he rejoined the Mumbai Indians squad on Saturday evening, and head coach Mahela Jayawardene has confirmed his readiness for the match.

Sanjay Manjrekar asserts that Jasprit Bumrah is currently at the height of his abilities, making him likely to excel in his contest against Virat Kohli. He also remarked that Kohli's prime performance is now behind him.

"Virat Kohli was at his peak 5-6 years ago. Jasprit Bumrah is currently at his best. Bumrah's reputation is on the rise," Manjrekar stated to JioStar.

"Virat Kohli's standing used to be at the top, but that is no longer the case. This is not a best vs best battle," he concluded.

Virat Kohli vs Jasprit Bumrah head-to-head record

When discussing Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, it is noteworthy that Kohli has faced 95 deliveries from the world's top Test bowler. He has accumulated 140 runs with a strike rate of 147.4, although he has been dismissed by Bumrah on five occasions.

Kohli has hit 15 boundaries and 5 sixes off Bumrah's bowling. In the IPL 2024, Bumrah managed to dismiss Kohli again at the Wankhede Stadium, where Kohli appeared to struggle against Bumrah's deliveries.

The Mumbai Indians are eager for a victory after suffering defeats in three of their four matches. Currently, they sit in eighth place on the points table with only 2 points to their name.

Their only win this season came against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium, and the franchise aims to establish their home ground as a stronghold this year.

Conversely, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) occupy the third position in the points table, having secured 4 points from 3 matches. Led by Rajat Patidar, RCB enters this match following a loss at home to the Gujarat Titans.

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