Jasprit Bumrah’s IPL wicket drought has stretched into something fans would normally consider rare. The Mumbai Indians spearhead has not taken a wicket in five straight IPL appearances, and the run now spans two seasons. While his wicket tally has stayed frozen, the debate around his impact has intensified—particularly after he again finished without scalps in the most recent outing for MI.
Wicketless run: how long it has lasted
- Bumrah failed to pick up a wicket in the last IPL match Mumbai Indians played in IPL 2025.
- Since then, his wicketless stretch has continued across IPL 2026, where he has gone wicketless in four matches so far.
- Overall, his current barren spell covers five consecutive IPL matches.
- Cricket analysis indicates Bumrah has bowled 122 deliveries without taking a wicket, which is the longest wicketless streak of his IPL career.
What Bumrah’s last five IPL innings show
Bumrah’s recent wicketless spells have come with different run-concessions, but the pattern is consistent on outcomes. In his last five IPL innings, his figures read: 0/40 (4 overs) versus PBKS at Ahmedabad; 0/35 (4 overs) versus KKR at Wankhede; 0/21 (4 overs) versus DC at Delhi; 0/32 (3 overs) versus RR at Guwahati; and 0/35 (4 overs) versus RCB at Wankhede.
RCB vs MI at Wankhede: Bumrah’s latest outing
In the MI encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, Bumrah again came up empty, finishing with 0/35 from his four overs. Even without a wicket, he stood out for MI’s bowling performance by remaining their most economical option. However, the contest swung heavily in RCB’s favour as they posted a massive 240/4 in their 20 overs.
Ashwin defends Bumrah’s value
Ravichandran Ashwin, the India spin great, pushed back against the idea that Bumrah’s worth should be judged only by wickets. He argued that the ability to land tight yorkers, limit scoring, and control the flow of runs matters just as much—if not more—especially at high-scoring venues like Wankhede.
In a post on X, Ashwin warned that focusing only on Bumrah’s lack of wickets can be “misleading” and potentially harmful to MI’s plans. He said the more important storyline is how Bumrah attacks with yorkers and keeps the opposition’s scoring in check ball after ball, rather than simply looking for dismissal numbers.
Ashwin also highlighted the realities of T20 partnerships in bowling. When a bowler cannot deliver consecutive overs consistently, their wicket-taking often depends on teammates who complete the bowling cycle and hand overs back at the right moments. He stressed that years of T20 cricket have reinforced the importance of defending as a group, with bowling units operating in tandem—an approach that, in his view, keeps the pressure on even when wickets aren’t immediately coming.
Despite the wicket drought over his last five IPL innings, Bumrah has still managed an economy rate above 10 in only two matches: the IPL 2025 Qualifier against Punjab Kings and the Rajasthan Royals match in the ongoing season.
