Mumbai Indians (MI) pacer Jasprit Bumrah is going through an unusual lean patch in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. After playing five matches, he is still searching for his first wicket of the season. In their latest game against Punjab Kings (PBKS), he finished with figures of 0/41 in his four overs.
This is now his longest wicketless run in the IPL, which has raised questions about his form and Mumbai Indians’ overall bowling performance.
However, MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene has backed the star bowler and said the issue is not with Bumrah alone, but with how the entire bowling unit is operating.
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Mahela Jayawardene on Jasprit Bumrah
"Yeah, I mean, I think Bumrah is bowling well; it's just that we're not putting pressure in the powerplay. They know they don't need to take too much risk against Booms, and while we've tried a few different things, which he is trying as well, the opposition is batting well," Jayawardene said after the match.
He added that it’s hard to point at one specific problem and that the team needs to improve as a group.
"I can't quite put a finger on it and say he hasn't taken wickets for a specific reason, but as a unit, we've lacked that penetration on different surfaces. That is something we need to work on," he added.
Jayawardene also said that once Bumrah gets going, he could be very hard for batters to handle.
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"I think once he starts taking wickets, we might not be able to stop him, so we just need to back that. He's not the only bowler in our attack; we've got other quality bowlers, and we just need to come together as a group.
"We've had quite a few unfortunate injuries and illnesses within the camp, so we haven't been able to get everyone on the park. Hopefully, we can get those guys out there consistently now," the former Sri Lanka captain explained.
Mumbai Indians are currently struggling in the season, sitting in ninth place with just two points from five matches. They started well with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders, but have since lost four games in a row. Their next match is against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on April 20, where they will be hoping to turn things around.