Jasprit Bumrah’s journey with Mumbai Indians has long been defined by precision with the ball. Since arriving in the franchise setup for his debut in 2013, he has gone on to feature in 157 matches for MI, claiming 186 wickets. However, during Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 encounter against Punjab Kings at Dharamsala on Thursday, Bumrah stepped into an entirely new spotlight—captaining the side.
How Bumrah became MI captain and what happened in Dharamsala
- Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav were both unavailable, leaving Mumbai Indians without their usual leadership options.
- In their absence, Bumrah was appointed captain for the match against Punjab Kings.
- Despite it being his first outing as MI captain in this role, Bumrah led from the front and steered the team to a six-wicket win over Punjab Kings.
This was not the first time Bumrah had worn the captain’s badge. He has previously led India in Test cricket and in T20Is, bringing valuable international leadership experience into the MI environment.
Bumrah’s leadership experience with India
- Bumrah captained India in two Tests during the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
- He also led the side in the rescheduled Birmingham Test against England in 2022.
- In T20Is, he has captained India in two matches, with the team winning both games under his leadership.
After Mumbai Indians—who are already out of the IPL 2026 playoff race—secured the victory, Bumrah was asked about what it felt like to lead the team. He spoke about having already captained across formats and added that he was thoroughly enjoying the experience.
“Yeah, first game, like I said, I’ve captained a Test match. I’ve captained T20Is. Now the only game that is left is ODI cricket. But I don’t see that happening (laughs), but jokes apart. Really happy. I had good fun, good weather, great ground. So enjoyed my time,” Bumrah said during the post-match presentation.
Tilak Varma and Ryan Rickelton power the chase
Mumbai Indians’ chase received crucial impetus from Tilak Varma, who produced a blazing half-century, while Ryan Rickelton contributed with an explosive innings. Together, their efforts helped MI reach the target and seal the six-wicket win.
Bumrah also reflected on the conditions, noting that the pitch played slightly drier than expected and that executing consistent lengths was central to the plan. He praised the bowlers for holding their nerve and highlighted the impact of both Tilak’s batting and Shardul’s bowling.
“Yeah, one from one (smiles). Both teams played good cricket, and we really pulled back well. A little bit, but the wicket in this game looked a little bit drier than the previous one. Maybe it wasn’t as cold as it was in the last game. Whatever we saw in the previous game and reading this game, holding your length was key. That was the plan, and credit to all bowlers, and they kept their nerve as well. I think Tilak’s knock and the way Shardul bowled both deserve equal credit. Tilak kept his shape, Jacks also contributed,” Bumrah said after the match.
IPL 2026 so far: tough run for Bumrah
Despite the captaincy success in Dharamsala, Bumrah’s IPL 2026 campaign with Mumbai Indians has been challenging overall. In 12 matches, he has taken just three wickets. He has also gone wicketless in eight games and is currently carrying an economy rate of 8.53.
