Powerplay specialists to Jasprit Bumrah, where it’s going wrong for Mumbai Indians

Jasprit Bumrah

Arguably, MI’s greatest worry currently is Jasprit Bumrah’s form in IPL 2026. The 32-year-old is yet to take a wicket this season and has been going at 8 runs per over in the powerplay, 8.86 runs in the middle overs and 9.50 runs at the death. The pacer has tended to bowl more slower ball variations as compared to trying to get wickets with swing, and this change in approach may partially explain his low returns this season.
Between 2023 and 2025, he was MI’s bowling bank in different phases, taking 10 wickets in the powerplay at 6.92, 12 in the middle overs at 6.09 and 16 in the death overs at 6.75.

Suryakumar Yadav

Last season’s batting mainstay, Suryakumar Yadav, has had a slow start as the team’s primary number three batsman. The 35-year-old has made 55 runs in four matches in that position this season at an average of 13.75 and a strike rate of 161.76. In comparison, he enjoyed a more fruitful run at number three, between 2023 and 2025, where he made 669 runs in 18 matches at a strike rate of 176.90.
Surya’s best return this season has come while batting at number four, where he scored 51 against Delhi Capitals in MI’s second match of IPL 2026.

Hardik Pandya

The captain – Hardik Pandya – had a lot riding on him ahead of this season. Yet, the 32-year-old has yet to deliver a defining performance this season. Pandya has made 53 runs in the middle overs with the bat and a mere 18 runs in the death overs at a strike rate of 135.71. The numbers have nosedived significantly from previous seasons, where, between 2023 and 2025, Pandya made 467 runs in the middle overs at 136.95 and 243 runs in the death overs at 184.09.His bowling numbers have dipped as well, with a mere two wickets in four matches so far at over 10 runs per over.

Tilak Varma

Leading into the T20 World Cup, Tilak Varma was handpicked as the number three batsman for the Indian team. However, at MI, his role has changed to that of a number four batsman. That shift seems to have had a negative impact, as the left-hander has made 35 runs in four matches so far batting at number four this season, thereby adding to MI’s woes.

Naman Dhir

Dhir’s numbers this season underline the importance of role clarity in T20 cricket. Between 2024 and 2025, he was most effective at No. 7, scoring 184 runs at an average of 36.8 and a strike rate of 182.2. This season, he was initially used at number six, where he returned with 58 runs in three innings. On Thursday, he was promoted to number four against PBKS, where made a half-century, The shift was indicative of inconsistency across positions and whether his promotion was a one-off or not remains to be seen.

Based in Mumbai, Shankar Narayan has over five years of experience and his reporting has ranged from the Ranji Trophy to ICC World Cups, and he writes extensively on women’s cricket. ... Read More

Lalith Kalidas is a Senior Sub-Editor with the sports team at The Indian Express (digital), where he specializes in cricket coverage. Based on his profile and recent work, here are the key details about him: Professional Background Role: He works with the online sports desk, focusing primarily on the happenings in the cricket world, with a specific interest in India's domestic cricket circuit. Expertise: He is known for data-driven stories and statistical analysis. He writes a weekly stats-based column titled 'Stats Corner'. Experience: He has over five years of experience in sports journalism. Before joining The Indian Express in February 2024, he worked for Sportstar (part of The Hindu group). Education: He holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Madras Christian College. Sports Background: He is a former cricketer who represented Kerala in state-level tournaments, which often informs his technical analysis of the game. Notable Recent Work & Beats Series Coverage: He has been extensively covering the India vs. South Africa series (2024–2025), including tactical breakdowns of players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube, and Abhishek Sharma. Investigative Journalism: He recently authored a major investigative series for The Indian Express regarding the Cricket Association of Puducherry (CAP), exploring issues like "short-cuts" to the big leagues, dodgy records, and how a private firm took over the association. Major Events: He was part of the team that covered the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India. IPL Analysis: He provides in-depth coverage of the IPL auctions and the rise of uncapped players. You can follow his latest articles and updates on his Indian Express profile page or via his social media links (X/Twitter and LinkedIn) listed there. ... Read More

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