Bumrah joins MI camp ahead of IPL season opener vs KKR

Jasprit Bumrah is back in Mumbai and is likely to slot straight back into the Mumbai Indians lineup. He checked into the team hotel on Friday night, according to reports, and the franchise is confident that the spearhead will be available on Sunday. MI sources say that he has a good chance of playing in the first game, even though the final confirmation is still pending. Bumrah spent the past five days at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, but sources insist that the visit did not cause any concern. It was a routine task to keep track of his workload. Bumrah has bowled tirelessly over the past few days and is fit enough to lead the Mumbai Indians' attack. On Sunday, MI plays Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede in their season opener. Last season, he missed the first four games, and Mumbai Indians felt his absence badly. They suffered losses in three of those matches, which hurt them in the end. Although MI managed to reach the playoffs eventually, they did so only just, finishing fourth. They would have preferred to finish in the top two given their strength, reputation, and pedigree. Two other Mumbai Indians players are yet to report - Will Jacks and Mitchell Santner. Santner is expected to join the team in a few days after participating in a series against South Africa that ended on March 25. Jacks, however, may take longer, with the England all-rounder unavailable due to personal reasons and likely to report at least a week later. The rest of the Mumbai Indians squad had a full-fledged practice session at the Wankhede Friday night. Kolkata Knight Riders were also at the venue, sweating it out. Except for Matheesha Pathirana, whose availability is still unknown, most of the visitors were present at full strength. Ahead of Sunday night's fixture, the teams will have one more training session on Saturday, when all eyes will be firmly on Jasprit Bumrah.