Ashwin shuts down Bumrah criticism, says MI spearhead still effective

Ravichandran Ashwin has backed Jasprit Bumrah, insisting his recent lack of wickets should not be a cause for concern.

Bumrah went wicketless again as Mumbai Indians slumped to an 18-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday. Chasing 241, MI finished on 222/5 despite an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls from Sherfane Rutherford.

The pacer is now without a wicket in his last five Indian Premier League matches, dating back to last season’s second Qualifier, having bowled 122 deliveries in that stretch.

Despite the drought, Bumrah has arguably been MI’s most effective bowler this season and maintained the best economy rate among his teammates against RCB.

Ashwin stressed that focusing solely on wickets can be misleading.

“The lack of wickets narrative for Bumrah can hamper the team’s cause. Him nailing yorkers and choking the opposition for every run is even more important than hunting wickets, especially at venues like the Wankhede,” he said.

He also pointed to the importance of bowling partnerships, suggesting Bumrah’s wicket-taking chances depend on support from the other end.

“When you can’t bowl overs on the trot, your wicket-taking ability depends on your partners. We’ve had years of T20 cricket, yet bowling as a defensive unit is still evolving,” he added, referencing insights from Lasith Malinga.

Bumrah’s struggles have coincided with a broader dip in MI’s bowling performance. Trent Boult has managed just one wicket so far this season, and no MI bowler features among the top 10 wicket-takers. The team has claimed only 14 wickets in four matches, while also recording the worst economy rate and lowest dot-ball percentage.

Captain Hardik Pandya admitted the team has been playing catch-up rather than dictating games.

“In the last couple of matches, as a bowling unit and even as a batting unit, we’ve been reacting instead of leading. We need to reflect and find the momentum we’re missing,” he said.

Against RCB, MI conceded 71 runs in the powerplay and 53 at the death, underlining their struggles in key phases. They currently have the second-worst death-bowling record this season.

In his last five IPL outings, Bumrah’s figures read: 0/35 (4), 0/32 (3), 0/21 (4), 0/35 (4) and 0/40 (4)—numbers that highlight a wicketless run, but not necessarily a lack of control.