The Indian Premier League 2026 season has been a nightmare for Jasprit Bumrah so far. The bowler who was considered the most reliable weapon in the death overs, seems to be struggling with his identity this time. The figures are shocking – only 3 wickets in 10 matches, average 109.66 and strike rate 74. This is the same Bumrah in front of whom the big batsmen of the world used to avoid taking risks in the last overs.
The biggest reason for this decline seems to be their weakening control. Bumrah’s strength has always been his accurate line-length and yorkers, but this season he has been missing time and again. The biggest example of this was seen in the match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday, when he bowled two consecutive no-balls in the same over. Interestingly, he also dismissed Himmat Singh in the same over, but that ball turned out to be a no-ball. Later, Himmat Singh played an important role in taking the team beyond 220 by scoring 40 runs.
The increasing number of no-balls is a big concern in itself. Bumrah has bowled 8 no-balls so far in the entire season, which is unusual for a bowler of his level. Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar also gave a strong reaction on this. He said on-air, ‘Don’t tell me again and again that Bumrah has bowled a no-ball. This is not acceptable. You are a professional cricketer, wide is understandable, but no-ball. This comment of Gavaskar clearly shows how high the expectations are from Bumrah and his current performance is not living up to that standard.
Another reason for Bumrah’s declining effectiveness is the decline in his yorkers. Earlier his yorker used to be almost infallible, but now it is either becoming a full toss or coming in the slot, which the batsmen are easily sending across the boundary. In T20 cricket, even a small mistake has a huge impact and the same is happening in the case of Bumrah. As a result, their economy rate has reached 8.89, which may not sound too bad… but it is quite high by their old standards.
Apart from this, now the batsmen have also started reading Bumrah better than before. In modern cricket, data analysis has exposed the strategies of bowlers. The batsmen seem already prepared regarding Bumrah’s release, angle and length. This is the reason why the dot balls against them have reduced and their ability to create pressure has reduced.
Mental aspect is also playing a big role in this decline. When a bowler is unable to take wickets continuously, he starts putting extra pressure on himself. Same thing is happening with Bumrah. He is overthinking in an attempt to make every ball ‘perfect’, which is resulting in no-balls and wrong lengths. When the camera during the match against Lucknow Mumbai Indians When the coaching staff of Mahela went towards Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga, their disappointment was clearly visible.
The context of the team is also affecting Bumrah’s form. Mumbai Indians (MI) are continuously scoring big scores this season, which is creating additional pressure on the bowlers. When chasing or defending more than 200 runs in each match, bowlers often become defensive rather than aggressive. This affects his natural tendency to take wickets.
However, it is too early to say that Bumrah’s era is over. In cricket, form is temporary and class is permanent. For a bowler like Bumrah, one good spell is enough to make a comeback. But at present the picture is clear in IPL 2026 – the bowler who once decided the outcome of the match, is today struggling to control his game.
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