Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah (Image credit: Agencies) NEW DELHI: Eight matches, two wins, six losses, four points and a worrying net rate of -0.784 sums up the plight of five-time champions Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026. Nothing seems to be going their way.It’s a continuation of the fights from last season. In IPL 2025, Mumbai Indians finished at the bottom of the table, managing just four wins and 10 losses in 14 matches. Unfortunately for them, the story hasn’t changed much this year.The star-studded side started their IPL 2026 campaign on a positive note, beating Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets in their opener. However, things quickly came together. They slipped into a losing streak, suffering four consecutive defeats against Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings.Under mounting pressure, Mumbai bounced back in their sixth match with a dominant 99-run victory over Gujarat Titans. It looked like a turning point – but the recovery was short-lived.
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Munaf Patel questions the appointment of Morne Morkel, Sitanshu KotakThey followed it up with two more defeats. First, a heavy 103-run loss to Chennai Super Kings and then a heartbreaking defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad despite a huge score of 243/5.For a team with five IPL titles, the ongoing slump raises serious questions.
What is wrong with Mumbai Indians this season?
Bumrah’s struggles add to MI’s woesJasprit Bumrah is going through a rare slump in IPL 2026. Renowned for his deadly yorkers and ability to dispatch the stumps on wheels, the pace spearhead has struggled to impress this season.Bumrah lost a wicket in his first five matches and did not get his first scalp until the sixth match against Gujarat Titans, dismissing Sai Sudharsan off the very first ball he bowled in that match. It’s not just a lack of goals – he’s been expensive too. The young batsmen took him on, including rising sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who hit two sixes in a single over.Bumrah also failed to make his mark in Mumbai Indians’ high-scoring clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite posting a dismal 243/5, Mumbai Indians failed to generate the expected pressure. The fast bowler conceded 54 runs in his four overs at an economy rate of 13.50 and hit five sixes.Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen and youngster Sali Arora were among those who challenged him. Arora even produced a stunning no-look shot to send the ball over Bumrah’s head.For a bowler who often single-handedly won matches against Mumbai Indians, this dip in form has been significant and has contributed to the team’s woes this season.Surya’s slim patch continuesSuryakumar Yadav entered IPL 2026 with high expectations after leading India to the T20 World Cup title. However, his recent form has been underwhelming.In the T20 World Cup, Surya failed to hit consistently with the bat. Apart from an impressive knock of 84 runs against USA, he struggled against most opponents and finished with 157 runs in seven matches. Heading into the IPL, he was expected to return to his aggressive, free-flowing best in the shortest format.But that hasn’t happened yet. The 35-year-old is having one of his toughest IPL seasons in recent years, on par with 2021 when he scored 317 runs at an average of 22.64. At a time when Mumbai Indians needed an experienced batsman to step up and lead from the front, Surya was unable to step up.In situations where the team needed someone to take charge and anchor the innings, he struggled for runs and failed to convert starts into meaningful contributions.He has so far managed just 162 runs in eight matches at an average of 20.25 – a reflection of both his dip in form and one of Mumbai Indians’ problems this season.No Rohit, no stability for MIRohit Sharma’s absence has been a big setback for Mumbai Indians this season. The star opener has missed the last four matches with a hamstring injury and has featured in only four matches so far.Rohit, who has led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles, started his IPL 2026 campaign on a strong note with a fluent 78 against Kolkata Knight Riders in a match-winning affair. He followed it up with scores of 35 against Delhi Capitals, 5 against Rajasthan Royals and an unbeaten 19 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, he struggled with a hamstring strain during the RCB game and had to withdraw injured. His absence has marred Mumbai’s starts at the top. The aggressive approach and stability he provides in the power play was sorely missed.In his absence, the team tried several starting combinations. Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock managed just 12 runs for the first wicket. Against Gujarat Titans, Denmark’s Malewar was paired with de Kock but the duo added only 10 runs. The same combination failed again against Chennai Super Kings as they put just 7 runs on the opening stand.Apart from his role as an opener, Rohit’s absence was also felt in the leadership on the field. His experience in guiding captain Hardik Pandya – from fielding to tactical inputs – has been lacking, which has further contributed to Mumbai Indians’ struggles this season. The breakdown of the middle order When openers falter, teams rely on the middle order to rebuild and provide stability with a combination of intent and resilience. That box has remained unchecked for Mumbai Indians this season.In the match against Delhi Capitals, where Suryakumar Yadav led in Hardik Pandya’s absence, the middle-order collapse became costly. Tilak Varma (0), Sherfane Rutherford (5) and Naman Dhir (28) failed to contribute which derailed the chase.A rain-restricted 11 over match against Rajasthan Royals was another missed opportunity. After RR posted 150/3, Mumbai Indians were well in the hunt, but a poor middle order resulted in a 27-run defeat. A similar story unfolded against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Chasing a massive 240, Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir managed just one run each. Despite 222 on the board, a slightly better middle-order contribution could have taken MI over the line, but they fell short by 18 runs.Against Punjab Kings, the middle order once again failed to capitalize on a solid start. Suryakumar Yadav (0), Hardik Pandya (14), Rutherford (1) and Tilak (8) failed to take the innings forward. From a position where 230 plus looked likely, MI finished on 195/6 and Punjab Kings chased it down comfortably in 16.3 overs.The collapse was most evident in the heavy defeat against Chennai Super Kings. Chasing 207/6, MI’s top order faltered early as Quinton de Kock (7), Denmark’s Malewar (0) and Dhir (0) fell cheaply. Suryakumar (36) and Tilak (37) tried to recover, but once they departed, the rest of the middle order – Pandya (1), Rutherford (0) and Shardul Thakur (6) – quickly dropped, resulting in a humiliating 103-run defeat.
