In this IPL 2026 where no target feels secure, we’ve grown used to bowlers being treated like mere cannon fodder. Yet amid all this chaos, one constant endured: Jasprit Bumrah. He was the reliable asset, the insurance policy, the player you relied on when everything was falling apart.
On Tuesday night, the banker was engulfed by the fire. In a season where the Mumbai Indians are already struggling in ninth place, their final glimmer of hope was crushed by a ruthless Sunrisers Hyderabad. Chasing a daunting target of 243, SRH not only secured victory but shattered the confidence of India’s premier bowler, sealing the match with eight balls remaining.
Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock criticised Mumbai’s pre-season planning, claiming that the trio of Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Shardul Thakur have failed to deliver for the five-time champions.
They’ve been let down by their three key bowling options – Boult, Thakur, and Chahar. They would have considered them bankers pre-season. The 11 they are playing now is very far from the one they would have picked right after the auction. That’s probably been the biggest surprise.
Shaun Pollock
The key subplot of the evening centered on Abhishek Sharma versus Jasprit Bumrah. Typically a contest that tilts toward the bowler, this time the narrative was reversed.
Powerplay horror: Bumrah conceded 32 runs in his first two overs (including leg-byes), the most he has ever given away in an IPL powerplay.
Pace drop: Alarmingly, Bumrah’s average speed has dipped to 132.1kph this season, lacking the zip that made him unplayable.
"No-look" shot: The loudest silence in the Wankhede came when uncapped Salil Arora launched a Bumrah yorker-miss over long-off for a no-look six. It was the moment section of the crowd headed for the exits.
Bumrah’s worst: The 0/54 was Bumrah's costliest spell since 2021 and the first time he has conceded five sixes in an IPL innings.
Dot ball drought: In 2020, Bumrah was twice as at stringing together three dots in a row compared to his current 2026 form.
Pollock trio: Boult, Thakur, and Chahar continued their poor run, failing to provide the support Bumrah needed.
Playoff peril: Sitting in ninth place, MI now require an almost impossible chain of results to remain in the playoff race.
Mumbai Indians are rich in resources but poor in execution. As Pollock noted, having "too many options" may have clouded their selection judgment. Yet the more serious issue is the erosion of Bumrah’s control. When the one bowler historically equipped to withstand 240-plus totals concedes 54 runs, the entire tactical framework of the franchise falls apart.
