Jasprit Bumrah is usually a pace spearhead capable of unsettling even the most established T20 hitters, yet his IPL 2026 numbers are painting a very different picture. In the early phase of the season, he went wicketless across his first five appearances, only striking in his sixth outing against the Gujarat Titans—where he removed Sai Sudharsan with the opening ball of his spell.
That first breakthrough stood out because Bumrah’s prior run had already been difficult. In Mumbai Indians’ initial five matches of the campaign, he finished without wickets against Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings. The turnaround versus Gujarat Titans mattered: Sudharsan fell for a golden duck, helping Mumbai Indians set the tone en route to a crushing 99-run win over the Titans.
Bumrah’s lean stretch has also contrasted sharply with the kind of dominance he has shown in the past. He previously had not conceded sixes to batters such as Travis Head and Sanju Samson, but during this rough patch in IPL 2026, both managed to find the stands off him. The challenge extended further as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a rising name, took him on aggressively as well—hitting two sixes in a single over—reinforcing how much his rhythm has been disrupted.
Right now, Bumrah’s IPL bowling average sits at 132, the most expensive figure of his T20 career. Among bowlers who have delivered 30 overs or more this season, his average is close to twice that of several peers, placing him among Mumbai Indians’ most underwhelming contributors in terms of wickets and impact. For a franchise that often relies on Bumrah to steady momentum, this drop in returns is one reason the team has struggled to keep consistent momentum.
IPL 2026: how the struggles showed up
- Bumrah began the season with five consecutive matches in which he finished wicketless.
- In his sixth match, he finally broke the drought against Gujarat Titans by dismissing Sai Sudharsan on the first ball he bowled.
- After that, the wider narrative of his season remained negative as more hitters managed to make contact—Travis Head, Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi all took him for sixes at key moments.
- Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians failed to defend a total of 200 or more for only the second time in IPL history—and for the first time at Wankhede Stadium.
- In that game, Bumrah conceded 54 runs in his four overs and was struck for sixes by Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen and Salil Arora.
It is uncommon to see Bumrah leak that many runs through the air, especially in matches where Mumbai Indians require their strike bowler to deliver breakthroughs and tighten the boundary count.
What could be behind Bumrah’s dip?
Jasprit Bumrah’s workload leading into IPL 2026 has been intense. He arrived after a packed international stretch that included the Asia Cup, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, series against Australia and South Africa, and a demanding five-match Test series in England. During the England tour alone, he bowled 119 overs across three matches, even while managing a long-standing back issue.
Cricket voices have offered several explanations for his current form. One line of thought suggests he may not have had enough rest after continuous international cricket. Others believe the bigger problem has been finding his usual rhythm and the right lengths under match pressure.
Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth was direct after Bumrah’s outing against Sunrisers Hyderabad. In his assessment, Bumrah was not showing the kind of pace and threat that typically forces batters into errors, adding that fatigue could be a factor. Srikkanth’s point was that even if the effort is there, the output has not been close to his best, implying he may be running on empty after the schedule.
Ravichandran Ashwin, meanwhile, focused on the mental dimension. During Bumrah’s wicketless run in the first five matches, Ashwin suggested that the surrounding narrative—especially talk that Bumrah was struggling for wickets—may have been affecting his mindset and execution. Ashwin also insisted that Bumrah’s sharpest version could still be around the corner, even if the present period has not reflected it.
Mohammad Kaif added another angle, pointing to the possibility that Bumrah’s body may not be fully supporting him right now. Kaif suggested a short break could help him return to peak fitness and regain his usual effectiveness.
On the other hand, Kieron Pollard, Mumbai Indians’ batting coach, played down concerns about Bumrah’s form. He argued that the bowler is human and that occasional dips are part of the game, urging fans to remember the long list of major contributions Bumrah has delivered for the franchise over the years.
Bowling averages (30+ overs) in IPL 2026
- Jasprit Bumrah — 30 overs, 264 runs, 2 wickets, average 132.00, economy 8.80
- Arshdeep Singh — 30 overs, 298 runs, 41 wickets, average 41.12, economy 10.96
- Mohammed Shami — 31 overs, 250 runs, 35 wickets, average 35.71, economy 8.06
- Mohammed Siraj — 33 overs, 268 runs, 29 wickets, average 29.77, economy 8.12
- Rashid Khan — 33 overs, 274 runs, 10 wickets, average 27.40, economy 8.30
- Kagiso Rabada — 35 overs, 338 runs, 14 wickets, average 24.14, economy 9.65
- Jofra Archer — 33 overs, 274 runs, 14 wickets, average 19.50, economy 8.27
- Eshan Malinga — 31 overs, 284 runs, 15 wickets, average 18.93, economy 9.16
- Prince Yadav — 30 overs, 242 runs, 13 wickets, average 18.61, economy 8.06
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar — 35 overs, 264 runs, 17 wickets, average 15.52, economy 7.54
The contrast with Bumrah’s recent peak form is striking. During IPL 2025, he spearheaded Mumbai Indians’ bowling and produced an outstanding season, taking 18 wickets in 12 matches. Even though he missed the first four games due to a back injury, he returned strongly and delivered what many analysts viewed as his most economical campaign—finishing with an economy rate of 6.68, the best mark in the league among bowlers with more than 10 wickets.
Before the IPL, Bumrah also played a key role for India in their successful title defence at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. He ended the tournament as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets in eight matches. His tournament peaked in the final on March 8, 2026, where he was named Player of the Match after producing figures of 4/15 against New Zealand. Earlier, in a match against England at Wankhede Stadium, he reached a major milestone of 500 international wickets by removing Harry Brook with the very first ball.
