NEW DELHI: Eight matches, two wins, six losses, four points, and a worrying net run rate of -0.784 – sums up the plight of the five-time champions. Mumbai Indians In IPL 2026. Nothing seems to be happening.This is a continuation of last season’s struggles. In IPL 2025, Mumbai Indians finished at the bottom of the table, winning just four and losing 10 in 14 matches. Unfortunately for them, the story didn’t change much this year.The star-studded side started their IPL 2026 campaign on a positive note, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets in their opener. However, things quickly went off track. They slipped into a losing streak with four straight defeats against Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings.Under mounting pressure, Mumbai bounced back with a dominant 99-run win against Gujarat Titans in their sixth match. It seemed like a turning point – but the recovery was short-lived.
They suffered two more defeats after that. First, a massive 103-run defeat against Chennai Super Kings, and then a heartbreaking defeat by Sunrisers Hyderabad despite posting a massive 243/5.For a team with five IPL titles, the ongoing slump raises serious questions.
What is going wrong for Mumbai Indians this season?
Bumrah’s struggles add to MI’s woes.Jaspreet Bumrah IPL 2026 is going through an unusual slump. Known for his lethal yorkers and ability to send stumps cartwheeling, the speedy spearhead has struggled to make an impact this season.Bumrah went wicketless in his first five matches and picked up his first scalp in just the sixth game against Gujarat Titans, dismissing Sai Sudharsan on the very first ball of the match.
It’s not just the lack of wickets – they’ve been expensive too. The young batsmen caught him, including rising sensation Vibhu Suryavanshi, who hit two sixes in the same over.Bumrah also failed to step up in Mumbai Indians’ high-scoring contest against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite Mumbai Indians posting a formidable 243/5, they could not apply the expected pressure. The fast bowler gave away 54 runs in his four overs at an economy rate of 13.50 and hit five sixes.Among those who attacked him were Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Henrik Klaasen and teenager Sally Arora. Arora even produced a brilliant no-look shot to send the ball over Bumrah’s head.For the often single-handed match-winning bowler for Mumbai Indians, this dip in form has been significant and has contributed to the team’s struggles this season.Surya’s lean patch continues.Suryakumar Yadav enters IPL 2026 with high expectations after India won the T20 World Cup title. However, their recent form has been poor.In the T20 World Cup, Surya failed to make a consistent impact with the bat. Apart from a brilliant innings of 84 against the USA, he struggled against most opposition, finishing with 157 runs in seven matches. Going into the IPL, there were expectations that he would return to his aggressive, free-flowing side in the shortest format.But so far it has not happened.
The 35-year-old is enduring one of his toughest IPL seasons in recent years, dating back to 2021 when he scored 317 runs at an average of 22.64. At a time when Mumbai Indians needed an experienced batsman to step up and lead from the front, Surya failed to deliver.In situations where the team needed someone to take charge and anchor the innings, he struggled for runs and failed to convert starts into meaningful contributions.So far, he has managed just 162 runs in eight matches at an average of 20.25, which is a reflection of both his lack of form and Mumbai Indians’ struggles this season.No Rohit, no stability for MI.Absence of Rohit Sharma This season has been a big shock for Mumbai Indians. The star opener has been ruled out of the last four matches due to a hamstring injury and has played in just four matches so far.Rohit, who has led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles, started his IPL 2026 campaign on a strong note with a fluent 78 in a winning goal against Kolkata Knight Riders. He scored 35 against Delhi Capitals, 5 against Rajasthan Royals, and an unbeaten 19 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, he struggled with his hamstring during the RCB game and had to retire with an injury.
His absence has put Mumbai’s start over the top. The aggressiveness and stability he provides on the powerplay has been sorely missed.In his absence, the team has tried a number of opening combinations. Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock managed just 12 runs for the first wicket. Against the Gujarat Titans, De Kock was paired with Danish Malivar, but both added just 10 runs. The same combination failed again against Chennai Super Kings, scoring just 7 runs for the opening stand.Apart from his role as an opener, Rohit’s lack of on-field leadership has also been felt. His experience under the captain’s guidance Hardik Pandya – from field placement to tactical input – is missing, which has further contributed to Mumbai Indians’ struggles this season. Middle order error. When openers falter, teams rely on the middle order to rebuild and provide stability with a mix of intent and resilience. For Mumbai Indians, that box is unchecked this season.In the match against Delhi Capitals, where Suryakumar Yadav led in Hardik Pandya’s absence, the collapse of the middle order proved costly. Tilak Verma (0), Sherfin Rutherford (5) and Naman Dhir (28) failed to contribute, derailing the chase.A rain-hit 11-over match against Rajasthan Royals was another wasted opportunity. After RR’s 150/3, Mumbai Indians were well in the hunt, but a poor performance by the middle order resulted in a 27-run defeat.
A similar story unfolded against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Chasing 240 runs, Tilak Verma and Naman Dhir managed only one run each. Despite putting 222 on the board, a slightly better contribution from the middle order could have taken MI over the line, but they fell short by 18 runs.Against Punjab Kings, the middle order once again failed to capitalize on a solid start. Surya Kumar Yadav (0), Hardik Pandya (14), Rutherford (1), and Tilak (8) could not get the innings going. From a position where 230 plus looked likely, MI finished at 195/6, and Punjab Kings chased it down comfortably in 16.3 overs.The devastation was most evident in the crushing defeat by Chennai Super Kings. Chasing 207/6, MI’s top order crumbled early, with Quinton de Kock (7), Danish Maliwar (0) and Dhir (0) falling cheaply. Surya Kumar (36) and Tilak (37) tried to recover, but once they were gone, the rest of the middle order – Pandya (1), Rutherford (0), and Shardul Thakur (6) – quickly combined, resulting in an embarrassing 103-run loss.
