NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2024 season is often cited as one of the most remarkable reversals in league history. After starting with just one win in their first eight outings (a 1-7 record), RCB roared back by winning six matches in a row and securing a playoff berth in style. Mumbai Indians now find themselves staring at a similar crossroads in IPL 2026, currently sitting ninth with only two victories from eight games—four points and a net run rate of -0.784. The big question is whether they can arrest the slide before it’s too late.
Key takeaways
- RCB’s IPL 2024 turnaround came after a 1-7 start in their first eight matches, followed by six straight wins.
- Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026 are placed ninth with two wins from eight games, four points, and a net run rate of -0.784.
- Ravichandran Ashwin said he has no belief that Mumbai can reverse their fortunes under Hardik Pandya’s leadership.
- Ashwin pointed to MI’s recent scoring and bowling patterns, including totals of 220 and 208, and their struggles to defend or chase effectively.
- MI’s campaign has included early losses to Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, and RCB, plus a 103-run defeat by Chennai Super Kings.
Ashwin questions MI’s ability to turn it around
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed disappointment at the way Mumbai Indians have performed this season and admitted he is struggling to see a path back. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said he was “a bit shocked” by how the five-time champions have gone about their cricket in IPL 2026, adding that his mind cannot process how things have reached this stage. He also said he felt for the side, noting that he had them as his favourite going into the tournament and expected a return to form—until teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad “didn’t give us a chance.”
When asked whether Mumbai could still win six of their remaining matches or whether the contest for them is effectively over, Ashwin replied that he does not have hope. He explained his reasoning by focusing on what he sees as a troubling pattern in MI’s results. Ashwin highlighted that Mumbai posted 220 against KKR, but suggested that no other team in the tournament had managed to set KKR such a high target elsewhere. He then stressed that even when MI have found big totals, they have not been able to produce the same outcomes consistently—particularly in matches where bowling first has failed to control the chase.
He added that when Mumbai have bowled first, opponents have been reaching totals in the 230–240 range. Ashwin further noted that Mumbai’s 220 came after a match where they had also scored 208 against Chennai, calling it a potentially slower pitch but not a situation that should have required an extraordinary chase. In his view, Mumbai were unable to chase those totals, and even when they tried to adjust the conditions—“made some changes in the wicket”—the results did not swing in their favour.
In closing his argument, Ashwin said both the batting unit and the bowling department are under pressure, leaving the team without a clear source of solutions. He also pointed out that performances have not looked better when they are away from home, concluding that, for him, the way things are trending makes it difficult to believe in a turnaround.
MI’s season so far: flashes of promise, mostly hard lessons
Mumbai Indians have endured a mixed, largely disappointing run in IPL 2026. Their campaign began with a positive result as they beat Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets, but momentum has not carried forward since that opening win. Subsequent defeats to Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru exposed problems in both departments—batting and bowling—while also underlining MI’s difficulty in managing key moments of matches.
The struggles continued with losses against Punjab Kings, followed by a heavy 103-run defeat to Chennai Super Kings. That result, as it framed the season, reflected that Mumbai have not been able to compete at the sharp end when the game swings decisively. The one sustained bright spot came when they produced a strong 99-run victory over Gujarat Titans, offering a glimpse of what the squad is capable of when performance aligns.
However, another setback followed as Sunrisers Hyderabad successfully chased down a big target to hand MI a six-wicket loss. With only two wins from eight matches, Mumbai Indians now face an uphill task to climb the table and keep their playoff hopes alive.
