IPL 2026 | 'Jasprit Bumrah hasn't been up to mark, but he has still been ... ': Kieron Pollard's blunt take on star pacer's form
· Yahoo Sports
NEW DELHI: Jasprit Bumrah is enduring a tough run in IPL 2026. In eight matches, the star pacer has managed just two wickets - numbers that hardly reflect his reputation as one of the most feared bowlers in world cricket. However, Mumbai Indians’ batting coach Kieron Pollard has backed Bumrah, saying a fast-bowling genius is allowed to have an off phase.
Bumrah once again went wicketless and was taken for 54 runs in four overs by Sunrisers Hyderabad during their six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
After MI posted a massive 243/5, powered by Ryan Rickelton’s unbeaten 123, SRH responded in style, chasing down the target with 249/4 in 18.4 overs.
“When a cricketer is not doing well, we look at every single aspect as to why he's not doing well and there is no difference to Jasprit Bumrah,” Pollard told reporters when asked about several factors around Bumrah’s bowling in this IPL, including a dip in pace.
“He has done this for years. As a human being, you're entitled as well to make mistakes, not have a good day, not have a good season, not have a good couple months. I just feel that we need to sometimes remember the good things that he has done."
“Yes, we try to live in the present and he hasn't been up to mark, but he has still been a No. 1 bowler for Mumbai Indians and India over a period of time. I just feel that sometimes we can cut some slack to us cricketers sometimes because, we are unfortunate to always be in the public eye so when we do bad, it's always been highlighted.”
Pollard believes giving Bumrah some leeway could help him bounce back stronger.
“I know he's going to bounce back with greater heights and take wickets and we all, again, (are) going to be singing Bumrah-Bumrah not only for Mumbai Indians, but (also) for India."
Pollard also admitted that Mumbai Indians have struggled to put together a complete performance this season but rejected the idea that the team is already out of contention.
“We haven't been able to string a complete game of cricket together as a team. It has not been as consistent as we would have hoped,” he said.
“We have accepted that (but) we have not accepted defeat. When I said defeat, I didn't want the headlines to be that Mumbai Indians now are defeated because mathematically and from a points’ perspective, we are still much in the tournament.
The former MI all-rounder avoided dwelling on the batting-friendly nature of the Wankhede pitches, stressing that both teams play under the same conditions.
“There's no point in harping on the type of wickets and all of that. Two teams are going to play on the surface, and it all boils down to who plays the better cricket,” he said.
“But what I can safely say, in the dressing room and (with) the spirits of the guys, they are willing and wanting to fight. These things happen. You could have been worst off. But at the end of it, we're still playing a game of cricket and there are a lot of other things more serious in life as well. So it is what it is,” Pollard added.
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Bumrah once again went wicketless and was taken for 54 runs in four overs by Sunrisers Hyderabad during their six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
After MI posted a massive 243/5, powered by Ryan Rickelton’s unbeaten 123, SRH responded in style, chasing down the target with 249/4 in 18.4 overs.
“When a cricketer is not doing well, we look at every single aspect as to why he's not doing well and there is no difference to Jasprit Bumrah,” Pollard told reporters when asked about several factors around Bumrah’s bowling in this IPL, including a dip in pace.
— mipaltan (@mipaltan) “He has done this for years. As a human being, you're entitled as well to make mistakes, not have a good day, not have a good season, not have a good couple months. I just feel that we need to sometimes remember the good things that he has done."
“Yes, we try to live in the present and he hasn't been up to mark, but he has still been a No. 1 bowler for Mumbai Indians and India over a period of time. I just feel that sometimes we can cut some slack to us cricketers sometimes because, we are unfortunate to always be in the public eye so when we do bad, it's always been highlighted.”
Pollard believes giving Bumrah some leeway could help him bounce back stronger.
“I know he's going to bounce back with greater heights and take wickets and we all, again, (are) going to be singing Bumrah-Bumrah not only for Mumbai Indians, but (also) for India."
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— mipaltan (@mipaltan) Pollard also admitted that Mumbai Indians have struggled to put together a complete performance this season but rejected the idea that the team is already out of contention.
“We haven't been able to string a complete game of cricket together as a team. It has not been as consistent as we would have hoped,” he said.
“We have accepted that (but) we have not accepted defeat. When I said defeat, I didn't want the headlines to be that Mumbai Indians now are defeated because mathematically and from a points’ perspective, we are still much in the tournament.
The former MI all-rounder avoided dwelling on the batting-friendly nature of the Wankhede pitches, stressing that both teams play under the same conditions.
“There's no point in harping on the type of wickets and all of that. Two teams are going to play on the surface, and it all boils down to who plays the better cricket,” he said.
“But what I can safely say, in the dressing room and (with) the spirits of the guys, they are willing and wanting to fight. These things happen. You could have been worst off. But at the end of it, we're still playing a game of cricket and there are a lot of other things more serious in life as well. So it is what it is,” Pollard added.
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