Jasprit Bumrah’s search for a breakthrough wicket in IPL 2026 is starting to weigh on Mumbai Indians’ title defence, with the 31-year-old still unable to open his account for the franchise this season. On Sunday night at the Wankhede Stadium, Bumrah produced another wicketless spell—finishing with figures of 0-35 from four overs—as MI fell short by 18 runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The drought is now stretching across five appearances for Mumbai, where he has bowled 122 deliveries without taking a wicket. Across four matches this campaign, Bumrah has delivered 15 overs and conceded 123 runs, yet the wickets column remains blank.
Bumrah’s wicket drought, over by over
- Against Punjab Kings at Ahmedabad in 2025, Bumrah returned 0/40 in four overs.
- Against Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede in 2026, he again went wicketless with 0/35 in four overs.
- Against Delhi Capitals at Delhi in 2026, Bumrah finished with 0/21 in four overs.
- Against Rajasthan Royals at Guwahati in 2026, he was unable to strike, posting 0/32 in three overs.
- Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Wankhede in 2026, his figures read 0/35 in four overs.
While Bumrah’s inability to take wickets is obvious, Mumbai’s problems in the bowling department run deeper than just one spell. Even without wickets, his economy rate stands at 8.20, which is currently the best among MI’s bowlers. Still, the five-time champions have managed only 14 wickets across four matches in IPL 2026, and none of their bowlers feature in the top ten wicket-takers list this season.
Sunday’s match underlined the wider issue. RCB’s batting unit overwhelmed MI, piling up 240 for four at the Wankhede Stadium. The pattern has repeated elsewhere too, with opponents finding ways to score freely against Mumbai: in the opening game, Kolkata Knight Riders reached 220 for four at the same venue; Delhi Capitals successfully chased 163 in 18.1 overs; and Rajasthan Royals raced to 150 for three in just 11 overs.
Historically, Trent Boult has been among the most damaging new-ball options in the IPL, consistently troubling batters in the powerplay and often forming a productive partnership with Bumrah. However, Boult’s current impact has looked muted compared to his usual standards. Across three matches, the experienced New Zealand left-arm pacer has taken just one wicket, at an economy rate of 12.22. For MI, Shardul Thakur has led the wicket-taking effort this season, claiming five wickets in four outings at 29.60, but his runs conceded have been costly, coming at 13.45 per over.
The discussion around Bumrah’s wicketless run has also brought team-support into focus. Ravichandran Ashwin, the former India spinner, addressed the topic on his YouTube show by pushing back against the idea that Bumrah can be blamed alone. He said it would be “unfair” to pin the lack of wickets on Bumrah, stressing that cricket is a team sport and that in T20, wickets typically arrive when pressure is sustained end to end. Ashwin pointed to the way Krunal Pandya (1 for 26) and Suyash Sharma (2 for 47) were able to strike, adding that they did so because Bhuvneshwar Kumar was applying pressure from the other end, whereas Bumrah has not received that kind of consistent support.
After Sunday’s game, Sherfane Rutherford—who made his MI debut impact count by smashing nine sixes in a rapid 31-ball 71 not out—also played down the wicket concerns. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Rutherford said it was “definitely not a concern,” arguing that the opposition simply batted well and deserved credit. He suggested that the difference for MI could come through small adjustments, such as minor changes in the field, but he did not believe the issue was directly tied to the bowlers. Instead, he emphasised the need to execute better and keep improving.
MI’s recent results have added urgency to the debate. After suffering a third consecutive defeat in IPL 2026—following their season-opening, jinx-breaking win over Kolkata Knight Riders—captain Hardik Pandya admitted the team has not been leading games as consistently as they should. He said that in the last couple of matches, MI had been “catching up” rather than controlling proceedings, and that the side needs to reflect on what is possible and how it can find the momentum and the “click” required to turn things around. Pandya also noted that there are a couple of days off before the next game, and that the team will return to work with a focus on small margins and learning. Rutherford echoed the sentiment, stating that while the start has not been ideal, it is not about how the season begins and that three defeats do not define a team over a full 14-match campaign. He added that MI must go back to the drawing board, focus on fine details, and come back stronger.
On the eve of MI’s high-profile encounter against RCB, batting coach Kieron Pollard dismissed the growing chatter about Bumrah’s wicket tally. He said the priority for the franchise is to come together as one unit and deliver the desired result. Pollard warned against creating distracting “narratives” by over-reading individual numbers and insisted that Bumrah is “fine” and “firing,” adding that he hoped the fast bowler would grab five wickets in the next match.
For Mumbai, that “tomorrow” cannot arrive too late—especially with the team needing results to arrest the slide and rebuild momentum before the season takes further shape.
