The Mumbai Indians are currently struggling in the IPL 2026 with six losses in eight matches so far. They are all but out of the playoff race. However, MI need to not only win all their remaining six games but also hope for other results to go their way only. However, former India player Virender Sehwag refused to blame Hardik Pandya’s captaincy for their poor show as well.
“MI’s issue is with implementation. They are not being able to execute their plans. When you need wickets, you are not getting the breakthroughs. How will you stop runs? You can stop runs only by dismissing rival batters. MI’s bowling has been a big let-down,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz. “Earlier, they used to get wickets early on with Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult. But Bumrah was expensive today. Their execution in bowling has not been good.”
Sehwag also said that MI brought in Shardul Thakur as the impact player, but did not use him at all.
“They should have bowled at least one over from him. He is a wicket-taking bowler. Only Hardik Pandya can answer why he was not given the ball. Whenever he has bowled, he has taken wickets. The captain is trying, but the bowling is very poor,” he added.
“I know he’s going to bounce back to greater heights and take wickets” – Kieron Pollard on Jasprit Bumrah
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians’ batting coach Kieron Pollard has backed their key pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, urging all to show patience despite his modest returns in the ongoing IPL 2026 season.
“We are unfortunate, you know, to always be in the public eye. So when we do badly, it’s always highlighted. But when normal people have jobs and they send the wrong email, they have the opportunity to edit the words and all these things. We don’t have that opportunity. So it’s fair enough-when you’re not doing well, you accept certain things. And knowing the individual, I know he’s going to bounce back to greater heights and take wickets,” Pollard said in the post-match press conference.
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