There is perhaps no sight in world cricket more unsettling for a Mumbai Indians fan than Jasprit Bumrah walking back to his mark, head bowed, after an over that yielded plenty of runs but no wickets.
In IPL 2026, the once unthinkable has happened. The man who bowled yorkers for fun and had a happy knack of taking wickets at regular intervals has become a shadow of his prime self. After the first five matches of the season, their ace speedster has not been able to pick up a single wicket, conceding 164 runs in these games.
For a bowler who usually dictates terms from the first over, a completely empty wickets column could signal a bigger crisis. With Bumrah not firing, their bowling unit has lacked the zip.
What is wrong with Bumrah?
The question on everyone’s lips is what is wrong with Bumrah? It was addressed by former India pacer, who suggests that the master of the death overs may be overthinking his craft.
“There is no major issue with his form, but his average speed this season has been around 130 kmph. He has been using the slower ball about 44 per cent of the time, meaning almost every second ball is a slower one,” Pathan noted on his YouTube channel.
By leaning so heavily on deception, Bumrah has inadvertently stripped away his greatest weapon- intimidation. Batters are usually waiting for his slower ones rather than being surprised by it.
“If you bowl more fast deliveries and reduce the percentage of slower balls, the results will come. If you get seam and swing, then you can dismiss batters as well,” Pathan added.
MI lose four matches in a row
Bumrah’s personal struggle is mirrored by a collective collapse at Mumbai Indians (MI). The five-time champions have now slumped to their fourth consecutive defeat, languishing at 9th place on the points table.
In past seasons, when the chips were down, MI could always counted on a Bumrah spell to turn the tide. In 2026, even that safety net has seemingly disappeared. Without their spearhead rattling the stumps, the MI bowling unit looks toothless, leaving the middle-order batters with too much ground to make up.