Mumbai, May 24: As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 kicked off, the Mumbai Indians (MI) relied heavily on experienced players Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. Both were expected to lead the team towards their sixth title, especially Bumrah, who played a crucial role in India’s victory at the ICC Men’s World Cup earlier this year. However, Bumrah has not met the team’s expectations.
Rohit Sharma, the IPL’s most successful batsman and captain, was anticipated to give MI a strong start. He began his campaign with a half-century in the opening match. Yet, as the five-time champions prepared for their final league match against the Rajasthan Royals at Wankhede Stadium, both Rohit and Bumrah’s inconsistent performances contributed to the team’s struggles.
On Saturday, MI’s head coach Mahela Jayawardene addressed the situation concerning these seasoned players. He noted that both are dealing with minor injuries and issues that have affected their performance. Due to injury concerns, Rohit missed several matches, scoring only 283 runs in eight games. The former captain suffered a hamstring injury, which hindered his progress. There were instances when this veteran player was benched and used as an ‘impact sub.’
Jayawardene explained that decisions regarding the playing eleven are made with various factors in mind. The focus is on what would be best for the team on that particular day. He added that Rohit understands and accepts this principle.
“To be honest, when I select the team for Mumbai Indians, I don’t think about the Indian team or their needs. I build the team, and Rohit understands that he is a ‘team player.’ He knows what is essential for Mumbai Indians, and we move forward accordingly. Yes, he had a hamstring injury. We gave him the necessary time to recover, and then he returned. We were also very cautious about his batting and running style, as he needed to gradually regain his rhythm,” Jayawardene said.
Regarding Bumrah, Jayawardene mentioned that the fast bowler did not have much time to recover after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in February-March. Bumrah has taken just four wickets in 13 matches for MI. “This happened due to a combination of factors. He had a slight injury after returning from the T20 World Cup, which he played with, so we allowed him ample time to recover,” Jayawardene explained.
Jayawardene noted that Bumrah’s reduced pace in the early part of the season was because he was gradually working on his fitness.
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