R Ashwin Backs Jasprit Bumrah Despite Wicketless IPL 2026 Start

Ravichandran Ashwin defends Jasprit Bumrah, emphasizing his impact beyond wickets in IPL 2026.

Despite a slow start in IPL 2026, Jasprit Bumrah has found strong backing from former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. The Mumbai Indians pacer is yet to claim a wicket after four matches, but he has maintained a respectable economy rate of 8.53.

Ashwin highlighted that Bumrah’s contribution cannot be judged solely by wickets, especially on batting-friendly surfaces like the Wankhede Stadium. He stressed that controlling the run flow is equally, if not more, important in such conditions.

“The lack of wickets narrative for Bumrah can hamper the teams cause! Him nailing yorkers and choking the opposition for every single run is even more important than him looking to get wickets, especially in venues like the Wankhede,” Ashwin wrote in a post on X.

MI’s Bowling Woes Continue in IPL 2026 Marked By Ashwin

Mumbai Indians have struggled significantly with the ball this season, managing just 14 wickets in four matches while conceding runs at an alarming economy rate of 11.19, the worst among all teams.

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Ashwin further explained that wicket-taking responsibility does not rest on a single bowler but depends on the collective effort of the bowling unit. He pointed out the importance of partnerships among bowlers in T20 cricket.

“When you can’t bowl overs on the trot, your wicket taking ability depends on your partners who hand the over to you. We have had so many years of T20 cricket now & bowling in partnerships as a defensive group is still a seed in the minds of bowling groups. Malinga nailed it, when he spoke during the 10th over mark”, R Ashwin added.