will lock horns with their arch-rivals in their upcoming IPL 2026 game on Saturday, May 2 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. ‘s lack of form has become a big concern for the -led side.
Ashwin reveals real reason behind Jasprit Bumrah’s struggle
Former India all-rounder has opened up on Jasprit Bumrahs’ struggle in the ongoing season, it might be a fatigue of a long season, as the star pacer is relying heavily on the slower deliveries, which is not his usual trait.
“Jasprit Bumrah has struggled this season, no two ways about it,” said Ashwin.
“There have been indications ahead of his slower ball in recent times, maybe it is fatigue because of the long season,” Ashwin added
However, Ashwin maintained his stance that Bumrah is not the only reason behind MI’s underwhelming performance as the five-time champions are finding it really tough to limit the opposition batters under 10 runs in an over.
“But Bumrah isn’t the only reason, MI are struggling to limit each over under 10 runs,”
Jasprit Bumrah will look to make a strong comeback as the season is almost finished for MI, and this could be a chance for him to play without any pressure and express himself.
Jasprit Bumrah’s lukewarm performance in IPL 2026
Bumrah is navigating one of the most challenging lean patches of his career. His statistics for the season are uncharacteristically high, with only two wickets in eight matches at an average of 132.00 and an economy rate of 8.80. Perhaps most telling is his strike rate of 90.00.
This slump is partly due to a shift in how opposition batters are handling him. Rather than adopting a cautious wait-and-see approach, teams are now actively targeting him from the start of his spell. This aggressive mindset has forced Bumrah into a rare defensive position, a far cry from the dominance he typically exerts over the league.