Jasprit Bumrah's drought no concern for MI, Kieron Pollard says defence matters too

Mumbai Indians have brushed aside concerns over Jasprit Bumrah’s wicketless start to IPL 2026, with Kieron Pollard backing the pacer’s overall impact ahead of their clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede Stadium.

Speaking ahead of the game against RCB, Pollard stressed that Bumrah’s value cannot be judged purely on wickets, especially in the evolving demands of T20 cricket.

Bumrah has gone three matches without picking up a wicket, a rare phase in what has otherwise been a remarkably consistent T20 career. The last time he endured a similar run came during the 2017-18 period, while his longest wicketless stretch in the IPL remains four matches back in the 2014 season.

Despite the numbers, Mumbai Indians are not reading too much into the early-season returns.

“In T20 cricket today, you can’t focus only on wickets. Even in recent games, teams have scored over 100 in the powerplay. Sometimes the best form of attack is defence. Jasprit Bumrah is a world-class bowler who has delivered time and time again for India and Mumbai Indians. When the time comes, he will get wickets. If not, and he remains economical, we are happy with that as wel," Pollard said ahead of Mumbai Indians' next game against RCB.

MI BACK BUMRAH EARLY

While Bumrah’s wicket tally has been quiet so far, his ability to control the scoring rate has long been one of his defining strengths. However, even that saw a rare dip in Mumbai’s previous outing against Rajasthan Royals, where he was taken on by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in an uncharacteristic spell.

That outing has led to some scrutiny, including discussions around his pace and effectiveness. Pollard, however, dismissed those concerns, reiterating his faith in the pacer ahead of the RCB clash.

“We’re not concerned. If batters are scoring quickly, you don’t always fight fire with fire—you adapt. Whether it’s 130 or less, we don’t overanalyse it. Cricket is a team sport, and for us, Bumrah is fit, fine, and performing his role well.”

Mumbai Indians currently sit eighth on the points table after three games, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru are placed third. With the tournament still in its early stages, MI will be looking to build momentum and find consistency in the coming matches.

For a side packed with experience and match-winners, backing a proven performer like Bumrah could prove crucial as they aim to turn their campaign around and push up the standings.

IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score