MI head coach blames entire bowling unit for Jasprit Bumrah’s wicketless run in IPL 2026

A comprehensive breakdown of MI’s struggles and the road ahead for the struggling star

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has already proven to be a tumultuous ride for the mighty Mumbai Indians. Staring at an unenviable 9th position in the 10-team league, the Rohit Sharma-led side has been on a downward spiral, with their batting and bowling clicking into place only occasionally. The lack of consistency has led to some very pointed questions being raised about the performances of their key players, and none more so than India pacer Jasprit Bumrah. The 2026 T20 World Cup-winning star is still waiting for his maiden wicket in the ongoing campaign, leading head coach Mahela Jayawardene to come out in an emphatic display of support. We dig deeper into the statistical analysis that hints at a bowling unit that sorely needs a reboot.

Mumbai Indians’ 4 defeats on a trot paint a sorry picture of their woes

Four successive defeats in the cash-rich league is never a badge of honour, and for MI, the defeats bring with them a lot more. Languishing at the 9th spot with 3 points, the team is already in a precarious zone from where it can easily become ‘mission impossible.’ Their net runrate is a paltry 0.654, which is below two other teams – the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore – who are better placed. As the table continues to change with each passing game, the window to get back to the Top 4 is closing fast.

Here’s the current IPL 2026 points table:

• Mumbai Indians – 3 points (9th)
• Kolkata Knight Riders – 2 points (10th)

Jasprit Bumrah’s struggles to impact the game have left many fans scratching their heads. They are eagerly waiting for him to fire in the bowling department, which could help MI bounce back from this difficult patch.

Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar: Who else is sharing the responsibility?

The onus of India’s performance in the powerplay and death overs has been placed on the shoulders of Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar, the two experienced bowlers in the team. However, the duo has struggled to make an impact with the new ball, particularly in the powerplay, which seems to be causing problems for the team. MI’s 4.8 runs per over ratio in the 1-6 over powerplay is 22 runs more than what Rajasthan Royals give up, according to the stats shared by ESPNcricinfo. The worrying aspect is Boult and Deepak’s share of economy and dot balls. Both of them have let go of nearly 5-6 dot balls per over in the powerplay, which can be directly linked to Delhi Capitals’ 7.33 runs per over ratio in the 1-6 overs of the powerplay.

When you’re a team that cannot contain the other side in the powerplay, it leaves you exposed in the middle overs, leading to a long journey to recover by the time the death overs come along. This explains why MI’s over rate in the current campaign is among the 4 worst in the tournament.