The TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has been impressive for the fans. The 19th edition of the tournament enters its fifth week of matches on Monday. Before that, former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis raised serious concerns about Jasprit Bumrah’s form in the league. India’s star pacer is yet to claim a spot in the IPL.
This is the first time that Jasprit Bumrah has gone wicketless in four consecutive IPL matches. Does it show a broader view of the grounds being made in the tournament? However, even in batting, the wickets Jasprit Bumrah has delivered for India and Mumbai Indians over the years.
Jasprit Bumrah is failing in IPL
Is there any other problem with Jasprit Bumrah, or have MI not been able to use the speedster properly in the league so far? The question arises after their hat-trick of losses in the IPL. Faf du Plessis believes the five-time champions put too much faith in Jasprit Bumrah.
Faf suggested to stop relying too much on the pacer and asked them to use the seamer at crucial stages of the match. The suggestion came after MI’s 18-run loss at the Wankhede Stadium against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Bumrah took 0/35 in a match in which more than 450 runs were scored in total.
Mumbai Indians need to find answers: Faf du Plessis
“When you look at that bowling attack, especially in high-scoring games of 250 or more, you have to evaluate what the rest of the attack is conceding beyond Bumrah’s four overs, which are usually very economical. That’s where Mumbai Indians need to find answers,” du Plessis told Star Sports.
“They need to maximize Bumrah’s impact by using him at key stages, but it doesn’t get any easier if strong batting line-ups continue to dominate. They will have to sit down and re-evaluate their approach, particularly in the Powerplay, whether that involves tactical changes or bringing in different personnel,” he added.
Is Mumbai Indians’ stellar supporting team a problem?
MI failed to reach the mammoth target of 241 runs as they could only score 222/5 in their 20 overs against RCB. This is the first time that the most successful franchise has lost three consecutive matches in the history of the IPL. MI won their first match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and have not picked up any points since.
Mumbai are currently in eighth position in the table and look quite decimated after their three consecutive defeats. Too many star options for the team have caused the team to fall and they are not being able to face failure. They have also been a heavy hitting team in the tournament and are more dependent on Bumrah.
No other bowler has been economical or picking wickets at regular intervals, causing serious problems for the team. Management needs to find a solution to return to the winning path; Another loss will likely take the team out of the playoff picture. MI plays Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) next Thursday.
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