Why Mumbai Indians Bowling is Failing in IPL 2026?

The middle overs problem, no wickets, and lack of control are hurting MI

Mumbai Indians have not started IPL 2026 the way they would have liked, and the biggest reason is their bowling. From the first match itself, it was clear that something was not right. Captain Hardik Pandya kept changing bowlers in the power play, trying to find control, but the runs did not stop. This has now become a pattern rather than a one-off issue.

The biggest concern is that MI are simply not taking wickets. Jasprit Bumrah, who is usually their main wicket-taker, has not picked up a single wicket yet. Even Mayank Markande is yet to open his account. Shardul Thakur has taken a few wickets, but he has also been expensive. This has created a situation where MI are neither controlling runs nor breaking partnerships at the right time.

The real damage is happening in the middle overs. This is where matches are slowly slipping away from MI. The numbers clearly show how far behind they are compared to other teams.

MI Middle Overs Performance (IPL 2026)

MI has the worst economy rate in the middle overs at 11.08. They are giving away more than one extra run per over compared to most teams. At the same time, they have taken only 7 wickets in this phase, which means batters are settling in easily and scoring freely.

Another big issue is their spin bowling. Last season, MI’s spinners were doing a good job, but this year they have struggled badly. They have taken only 4 wickets combined and have the worst economy and average in the league. Mayank Markande has been very expensive, while Santner has not looked like a regular wicket-taking option. Ghazanfar has also gone for runs. When spinners are not working in the middle overs, it becomes very difficult to control the game.

Bumrah’s situation is also unusual. He is still the most economical bowler in the team, but wickets are missing. His main weapons, the yorker and slower ball, have not worked this season. He has bowled many deliveries using these variations, but has not gotten results. This is one of the rare phases in his career where he is controlling runs but not taking wickets.

The new ball bowlers have also not helped. Trent Boult has not found much swing, and Deepak Chahar has not made the expected impact. Because of this, MI are not getting early wickets, and the pressure shifts to the middle overs, where things are already going wrong

All these problems are connected. When there are no wickets early, batters get set. When middle overs are expensive, the game goes out of control. When spinners are not effective, there is no way to slow things down. That is exactly what is happening with MI right now.

Mumbai Indians still have experienced players, so it is not a question of talent. The issue is execution and rhythm. If Bumrah starts picking wickets, if the spinners improve, and if the new ball bowlers provide early breakthroughs, things can change quickly.

For now, though, MI’s bowling looks like their biggest weakness, and unless they fix it soon, their campaign in IPL 2026 could become very difficult.

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