Pre-tournament favorites for many fans and pundits, the Mumbai Indians (MI) began the IPL 2026 season by breaking a 14-year-old jinx of losing their opening game of the season as they beat KKR by six wickets.
However, since then, things have not gone as expected for the five-time IPL title holders. The Hardik Pandya-led team has suffered three demoralizing defeats in a row, going down to Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, and most recently against Royal Challengers Bengaluru when the visitors smashed the highest-ever IPL team score (240) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Let us see the three key factors that have hurt MI this season as they struggle to gain some momentum.
3 Reasons Why Mumbai Indians (MI) Are Struggling In IPL 2026
Wicketless Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah is the biggest T20 match-winner in the world right now and quite possibly of all time in this format.
However, Bumrah currently is on a shocking wicketless streak of five matches, including MI’s Qualifier 2 defeat against Punjab Kings last season. Ignoring that game, Bumrah has figures of 0/35 (4) vs KKR, 0/21 (4) vs DC, 0/32 (3) vs RR, and 0/35 (4) vs RCB this season.
Now, these figures do reflect that Bumrah has been tidy and halting the run flow often – his economy of 8.20 is remarkable and the best by any MI bowler – but when the spearhead bowler is not making inroads, the challenge becomes even tougher for the entire bowling attack.
Poor powerplay and death overs returns
In a bid to emulate the success of their glory days, MI have roped in both Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult to dent the opponents with the new ball.
However, both these senior pacers who carry the reputation of being new ball specialist have failed to strike in the early overs. Boult has taken only one wicket in three matches, and Chahar has a solitary scalp in two outings, and both have conceded runs at over 10 runs an over.
Barring Bumrah, MI’s death overs bowling, too, has been a flop show: Mumbai have the second-worst death-over bowling stats this season, averaging 33 in the last phase of the innings with merely four wickets to show.
Further, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, and Mayank Markande have also not lived up to the expectations.
All of this has resulted in the worst-possible outcome: MI have the poorest economy rate (11.13), average (55.0), and strike rate (29.6) of all 10 teams in IPL 2026 so far.
MI batsmen have failed to keep up with the high-scoring rates
While Hardik Pandya has been vocal about wanting flat pitches in the IPL, and MI have a gun top 7 to maximize it, his batsmen have not been able to keep up with the growing scoring rates in the IPL.
Except Shefane Rutherford, who is a futuristic T20 batsman and in the form of his life since last year, none of the MI top 7 batters have managed a strike rate of over 175 this season.
MI also perhaps need to assess the batting position of Tilak Varma. The left-hander showed signs of being a finisher in the latter stages of the T20 World Cup when he was pushed down the order. However, MI has been using him at Nos. 3 and 4 this season, where he’s managed only 35 runs in four innings at a dismal strike rate of 120.
Get IPL 2026 Live Score, Team Updates, along with the Latest Player News at IceCric.News and Follow for Live Updates – Facebook & Instagram.
