Jasprit Bumrah, widely regarded for his ability to upset batters with blistering pace and ruthless yorkers, had a tough time in the Indian Premier League 2026. The Mumbai Indians spearhead finished the season with only four wickets, a return that fell short of expectations for a bowler known to consistently strike at the death and beyond.
Steyn backs Bumrah after a lean IPL
Even with Bumrah’s numbers underwhelming, former South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn defended the Indian pacer and insisted that the right time and form will arrive again. Steyn suggested Bumrah could return even sharper next year and potentially contend for the Purple Cap.
Steyn also pointed out that Bumrah’s recent workload and big-match contributions matter, highlighting that he played a decisive part in India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup success only a couple of months prior. He argued that focusing too heavily on a single tournament can miss the bigger picture, noting that good batters can still have seasons where results don’t immediately reflect their quality.
Speaking on AB de Villiers’ YouTube channel, Steyn said, “He won a World Cup just a month and a half, two months ago, and he was probably among the bowlers of the tournament. So you can’t focus on him primarily. He had a bad tournament (IPL). There have been good batters at this IPL that haven’t hit the ground running. Okay. So it shows that he’s human.”
Steyn added that Bumrah would bounce back strongly in the next campaign, remarking, “He’ll come back strong and next season he’ll probably win the Purple Cap next season.”
Mumbai Indians’ 2026 season: missed chances and a ninth-place finish
Bumrah’s IPL 2026 also came with team setbacks for Mumbai Indians. The franchise concluded the league stage in ninth place, managing only four victories and suffering ten defeats across 14 matches. Their points tally stood at eight, while their net run rate was -0.584.
In the run-up to the end of the league phase, Bumrah also missed Mumbai Indians’ final league match. That game saw the five-time champions lose by 30 runs, sealing their elimination from playoff contention.
Mumbai Indians’ league record and standings
- Matches: 14
- Wins: 4
- Losses: 10
- Points: 8
- Net Run Rate: -0.584
- Final position: 9th (Eliminated)
Match-by-match results involving Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026
- Kolkata Knight Riders (Mar 29): Mumbai Indians won by 6 wickets.
- Delhi Capitals (Apr 04): Mumbai Indians lost by 6 wickets.
- Rajasthan Royals (Apr 07): Mumbai Indians lost by 27 runs.
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Apr 12): Mumbai Indians lost by 18 runs.
- Punjab Kings (Apr 16): Mumbai Indians lost by 7 wickets.
- Gujarat Titans (Apr 20): Mumbai Indians won by 99 runs.
- Chennai Super Kings (Apr 23): Mumbai Indians lost by 103 runs.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad (Apr 29): Mumbai Indians lost by 6 wickets.
- Chennai Super Kings (May 02): Mumbai Indians lost by 8 wickets.
- Lucknow Super Giants (May 04): Mumbai Indians won by 6 wickets.
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru (May 10): Mumbai Indians lost by 2 wickets.
- Punjab Kings (May 14): Mumbai Indians won by 6 wickets.
- Kolkata Knight Riders (May 20): Mumbai Indians lost by 4 wickets.
- Rajasthan Royals (May 24): Mumbai Indians lost by 30 runs.
Bumrah rested for Afghanistan series
After the IPL, Bumrah has also been given rest for India’s upcoming home series against Afghanistan. The team management’s decision is aimed at ensuring he returns fully fit, especially with a demanding international schedule expected later in the year.
