Why is Jasprit Bumrah Not Playing Today’s IPL 2023 Match between RCB and MI at M Chinnaswamy Stadium?

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis has won the toss and chose to bowl in Indian Premier League 2023 Match 5 against Mumbai Indians at M Chinnaswamy Stadium tonight. With this iconic venue hosting an IPL match after four years, one can already observe an unreal atmosphere there even before the start of the match.

“We are going to bowl first. There’s a bit of weather around. There has been a bit of dew in the practice games too. We have been so excited to get started to tonight. This is one of the great stadiums to play cricket in,” du Plessis told host broadcaster Star Sports Network at the toss.

It is worth a mention that Bangalore have made four changes to the Playing XI which had participated in IPL 2022 Qualifier 2. Therefore, strengthening their bowling department in the process.

Batters Rajat Patidar and Mahipal Lomror, all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood have made way for all-rounder Michael Bracewell, spinner Karn Sharma and pacers Akash Deep and Reece Topley.

Why is Jasprit Bumrah Not Playing Today vs Mumbai Indians?

Mumbai, on the other hand, have made as many as six changes to their Playing XI which last represented them. As a result, batters Suryakumar Yadav and Nehal Wadhera, all-rounder Cameron Green, pacers Arshad Khan and Jofra Archer and spinner Piyush Chawla are playing this match. Readers must note that Indians have handed T20 debuts to both Wadhera and Khan.

“With this new [Impact Player] rule, teams are backing themselves to chase. At the end of the day, you have to play good cricket to win. We know we have to bat first here. The pitch looks good. W just have to come out with positive intent,” Sharma told Star Sports Network at the toss.

The development means that the likes of Dewald Brevis, Ramandeep Singh, Daniel Sams, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Markande and Riley Meredith aren’t playing on Sunday. While Ramandeep Singh is among MI’s five substitutes, Markande and Meredith are no longer part of their squad.

Bumrah, meanwhile, continues to miss out on action. Having not played a single representative match in over six months now, the 29-year old player is yet to recover from a glute injury. Readers must note that Bumrah has recovered from a back injury but stiffness in his right glute ended up causing a much greater threat than what it was initially anticipated.