Kieron Pollard Backs Jasprit Bumrah Despite IPL 2026 Wicket Drought
Mumbai Indians Look to Regroup at Wankhede
The Mumbai Indians (MI) find themselves in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable position early in the 2026 Indian Premier League season. Currently sitting in eighth place on the points table after suffering two consecutive defeats, the five-time champions are under pressure to find their rhythm. While the team returns to the familiar surroundings of the Wankhede Stadium for their upcoming match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the challenge remains steep, as the venue has historically been a graveyard for bowlers in the modern era of high-scoring T20 cricket.
The Bowling Unit Under Scrutiny
A significant part of the MI narrative this season revolves around the underperformance of their elite bowling attack. The team has struggled to secure wickets, with five of their primary bowlers currently maintaining an economy rate of at least 12. Even seasoned campaigners like Trent Boult, typically lethal in the powerplay, have struggled to find their usual spark. Across nine T20 matches this year, Boult has managed only two powerplay wickets, conceding runs at over nine per over.
Furthermore, the supporting cast—including Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur—has failed to provide the necessary relief for Jasprit Bumrah. While Thakur leads the side in wickets, his economy rate of 12.88 highlights the double-edged nature of his performance. Consequently, opposition teams have seemingly adopted a strategy of playing Bumrah with caution while attacking the rest of the bowling lineup.
Pollard Defends the Spearhead
Despite the lack of wickets in his column, Jasprit Bumrah has remained relatively economical, conceding runs at a respectable eight per over. Speaking on the matter, Mumbai Indians batting coach Kieron Pollard emphasized that the wicket tally does not tell the full story of Bumrah’s impact.
“When you look at T20 cricket now, the way that it’s going, you can’t really think much about wickets,” Pollard noted. “Sometimes the best form of attack is also defense. We’re not looking too much into the wicketless nature of Jasprit Bumrah. He’s a world-class bowler. When the time comes to get wickets, he’ll get wickets. If not, and he’s economical, we’ll accept that as well.”
Pollard dismissed the notion of individual scrutiny, reiterating that cricket remains a team sport. He emphasized that the focus is on collective execution rather than obsessing over personal statistics. “For us, he’s fine, he’s fit, he’s firing,” Pollard added with a laugh. “And for your sake, I hope he gets five wickets tomorrow.”
Addressing the Pace Concern
Observers have noted that Bumrah’s bowling speeds have been lower than his typical high standards, often staying well below the 140kph mark. When questioned about this, Pollard suggested that pace might not be the ultimate solution on tracks where batters are fearless. “If the ball is going at 100 knots out of the ground, you don’t want to fight fire with fire, right? You’ve got to try something different,” he explained.
The Road Ahead
The upcoming clash against RCB poses a significant test for the MI bowling unit. While Bumrah has historically performed well against Bengaluru—taking 29 wickets against them—RCB’s batting lineup remains one of the most aggressive in the tournament. Last season, RCB broke a long-standing record by defeating MI at the Wankhede, and they will be looking to replicate that success.
As MI prepares for the encounter, the focus remains on mindset and tactical execution. Pollard believes that consistent, positive communication and rigorous practice are the keys to turning their form around. “It’s about coming together as one and trying to get the desired result,” Pollard concluded. “We’re going to hold strong as a bowling unit. Hopefully, at the end, we can average it out and stay within that par total, which has gone up a bit in the last couple of seasons.”
