‘The “lack of wickets” narrative is misleading’: Ravichandran Ashwin defends Jasprit Bumrah after four wicketless outings

Ravichandran Ashwin has come out in strong support of Jasprit Bumrah despite the pacer’s wicketless start in IPL 2026.


‘The “lack of wickets” narrative is misleading’: Ravichandran Ashwin defends Jasprit Bumrah after four wicketless outings

Bumrah is yet to take a wicket after four matches, but has maintained a respectable economy rate of 8.53, showcasing his ability to control runs even in high-scoring games.

Ashwin emphasized that Bumrah’s contribution goes beyond just picking up wickets, especially at batting-friendly venues like the Wankhede Stadium. According to him, executing yorkers and restricting runs is equally—if not more—important than taking wickets in such conditions.

He also pointed out that wicket-taking responsibility does not lie with a single bowler but depends on the entire bowling unit working together. Ashwin stressed the importance of partnerships among bowlers in T20 cricket, noting that consistent pressure from one end can create opportunities at the other.

Mumbai Indians have struggled with the ball this season, managing just 14 wickets in four matches while conceding runs at an economy rate of 11.19—the worst in the tournament so far.

In their recent outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 12, MI conceded a massive 240/4. Despite being the most economical bowler on the night with figures of 0/40 in four overs, Bumrah could not pick up a wicket as Mumbai fell short by 18 runs in the chase.