Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has defended Jasprit Bumrah amid a tough phase for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026. Bumrah’s numbers have dipped, with just 3 wickets from 11 appearances and an economy rate of 8.51, and Harbhajan believes the broader bowling issues—more than the fast bowler alone—have played a significant role in MI falling out of the playoff race. While sections of fans and cricket commentators have pointed fingers at Bumrah, Harbhajan pushed the focus onto the rest of the MI bowling unit, arguing that the team’s dependence on him has created additional pressure and left other bowlers struggling for rhythm.
Speaking on JioStar, Harbhajan said Bumrah is the sort of bowler who can swing a game at any moment, but that the team cannot lean on him excessively. He highlighted that other members of the squad—naming Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar and Hardik Pandya—appear low on confidence at the moment.
“Jasprit Bumrah is the kind of bowler who can change a match at any moment. But leaning too much on him is not the way forward. I feel the other bowlers in the side, like Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar and Hardik Pandya, are running low on confidence,” Harbhajan remarked.
Harbhajan further suggested that Mumbai Indians face a clear task: helping those players regain the belief and control they need to perform consistently. He stated that the franchise has leaned heavily on Bumrah since he became part of the team, but feels that reliance has become excessive in the current cycle.
“The real challenge here is how to lift their confidence back to the level of the others. Mumbai Indians have depended on Bumrah since he came into the side, but right now they are depending on him too much,” he added.
The former spinner also pointed out that wicket-taking cannot fall on one bowler, stressing that other options—spinners included—need to contribute more. In his view, the biggest problem for the squad is the absence of quality local spin talent, adding that India previously had several strong domestic spinners, but that this particular group lacks that depth.
“Someone else has to start taking wickets too. Even the spinners are a concern. The biggest weakness I see in this setup is the lack of high-quality local spinners. Earlier, there were some good Indian spinners around, but at the moment there isn’t anyone, and that’s a big gap in the squad,” Harbhajan said.
Harbhajan on MI’s mindset and leadership
Harbhajan, who won three IPL titles with Mumbai Indians between 2013 and 2017, believes the franchise has not looked the same in recent seasons. He singled out the team’s body language as something he finds unusual, noting that he has been part of the group for nearly a decade and has never seen Mumbai’s attitude appear so flat.
“The body language of Mumbai Indians, which also matters a lot, is something I have never seen like this before. I’ve been part of this team for almost 10 years. Even in seasons where we were losing—like the one where we lost five in a row—our body language was never flat. The desire to fight back was always there,” he said.
In Harbhajan’s assessment, that confidence is missing right now. He called for someone to step up and set the tone, urging the team to treat past results as irrelevant and focus on what can be improved from here through on-field reaction and intent.
“Right now, that confidence is absent. Somebody has to lead the way and say, ‘Whatever has happened is in the past. How we change things from here will depend on how we react on the field.’ It begins with one person—someone who needs to step up as that leader and take the team forward,” Harbhajan concluded.
