Mumbai, April 8 (NationPress) Indian cricketing icon Sunil Gavaskar expressed his views on Jasprit Bumrah, the ace bowler for Mumbai Indians, making a comeback in the IPL 2025 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday. Gavaskar remarked that although the bowler showcased his typical speed exceeding 140 kmph, he could soon reach 150 kmph with additional games under his belt, thus increasing his confidence.

Bumrah has been recuperating from a lower back injury sustained during the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Sydney this January, and in the match against RCB, he recorded figures of 0-29 in his four overs.

During his analysis on JioHotstar, Gavaskar shared, "The primary highlight was watching him bowl at his customary pace, over 140 kmph. I am confident that with a few more matches, he will likely achieve 150 kmph as he regains his confidence and becomes comfortable bowling at full speed."

"In T20 formats, where bowlers don’t bowl extended spells, it’s easier to maintain sharpness and bowl at peak speed. This was clear in Bumrah’s performance; without him, RCB could have scored between 240 and 250," he added.

Gavaskar also commented on former captain Rohit Sharma, who returned for the RCB match after missing the game against Lucknow Super Giants due to a knee injury, suggesting that a steady score of 30-40 would help him regain confidence.

Rohit is facing his most challenging start in the IPL since 2020, having been dismissed for a duck in the opening match against Chennai Super Kings, and scoring only 8, 13, and 17 in the subsequent four matches.

Gavaskar believes that a powerplay dismissal impacts the team's performance, regardless of whether it’s for Mumbai Indians or India.

“In the upcoming matches, a solid knock is crucial. Even if he doesn't score big immediately, if he can bat through the powerplay until the 8th or 9th over and accumulate a steady 30-40 runs, it will help bolster his confidence. However, getting out during the powerplay is detrimental - be it for Mumbai Indians, India, or any team he represents.

"He has a lot to contribute. I feel his shot selection needs some refinement. It's essential to be aggressive and score as much as possible in the initial overs, but choosing the right moments to take risks is vital. If he can find this balance, he will return to scoring significant runs once again," he said.

Mumbai Indians faced their fourth defeat of the season, losing by 12 runs against RCB in an exciting match at the Wankhede Stadium.

Former MI coach Mark Boucher evaluated MI's performance, stating, "They had a sluggish start. It was impressive to see Suryakumar batting with such a high strike rate. However, when Tilak and Hardik partnered up, Hardik had to go from ball one. Tilak Verma supported him excellently, especially after the last game."

"That partnership was critical for MI to get back into the contest. At that moment, Josh Hazlewood delivered two excellent overs. For Hardik to come in and dominate was a fantastic display. He hadn't faced a ball until then, so he entered the game fresh when it mattered. The shots he played in that over were outstanding and crucial in helping MI recover alongside Tilak," he concluded.