Jasprit Bumrah’s IPL 2025 numbers have raised eyebrows: five outings, and still not a single wicket. For a fast bowler who has typically been defined by relentless pressure and sharp execution, a wicketless spell stretching across matches feels unusual—especially when he has not even been the main problem for his team’s results in an obvious way. Yet the run of matches where Bumrah hasn’t struck has coincided with Mumbai Indians’ struggles. The five-time champions find themselves ninth on the points table after losing four of their first five games.
Bumrah’s wicket drought and MI’s campaign
- Bumrah has gone wicketless across five matches in IPL 2025.
- Mumbai Indians are ninth in the points standings.
- MI have suffered four defeats in five matches.
Wasim Jaffer questions Bumrah’s fitness
Former India batter Wasim Jaffer suggested that the bowler may not be operating at full capacity. Speaking in a quoted reaction, Jaffer said he felt Bumrah was not 100 per cent fit and that the way the pacer’s body looked while bowling was different from what was seen during the World Cup and earlier periods.
Jaffer’s view was that Bumrah’s usual patterns were not showing up with the same consistency—he argued that the lengths were being missed more than normal, and that he was not being struck less frequently the way he typically is. The former star also implied that if Bumrah were at his best, he would not be bowling and continuing in the manner he has been doing during this run.
In his explanation of the recent spell patterns, Jaffer added that the “zing” associated with Bumrah’s bowling appeared to be absent. He pointed to the ball not arriving quickly enough or doing the same sort of damage to the bat as it usually does. While he acknowledged that form can dip and that Bumrah cannot produce a standout moment in every game, Jaffer said it currently looks like Bumrah is passing through a phase where things are simply not clicking.
Punjab Kings chase down 196; Jayawardene on the reasons
Bumrah’s wicket drought has played out alongside several tough moments for Mumbai Indians, including a match on Thursday where Punjab Kings chased down a target of 196 with seven wickets to spare. In that game, Bumrah conceded 41 runs in his four overs.
After the contest, Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene addressed the lack of breakthroughs and pointed to a different kind of issue—especially pressure in the early overs. Jayawardene said Bumrah was bowling well, but MI were not applying pressure during the powerplay. He also noted that the opposition seemed to be comfortable about taking fewer risks against Bumrah, suggesting that the batters believed they could manage the threat rather than feel forced into mistakes.
The coach added that MI tried a few different approaches, including options that Bumrah himself was also working on, but Punjab’s batters were executing well. Jayawardene said he could not point to one specific factor that could neatly explain why wickets did not come.
Injury niggle earlier in IPL 2025
Jayawardene also revealed that Bumrah had carried a niggle at the start of IPL 2025, but said the fast bowler has pulled up well since then. The comment adds context to the ongoing discussion about why Bumrah’s usual impact has looked muted during this wicketless stretch.
