Table of Contents
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene talked about the multiple issues plaguing the team, which have now prompted them to finish in the bottom two on the IPL 2026 points table.
He also highlighted the reasons for the poor run of form that Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav were going through.
With just 4 wins in 13 matches, MI are currently placed ninth on the IPL 2026 points table. They are already eliminated from playoffs contention in the tournament, and their only opportunity is now to play party-pooper.
“Injuries have affected us this year” – Mahela Jayawardene
Ahead of MI’s match against the Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai on Sunday, Jayawardene spoke to reporters in the pre-match press conference.
When asked about what the team would focus on for next year, Jayawardene said that the team’s failures weren’t one person’s responsibility. He also said that the core group was unable to galvanise, which led to their poor performance.
“It’s everyone’s responsibility. We have a core group. This year, injuries have affected us. We had some really good conversations within the group, but we haven’t been able to galvanise. This is something to reflect on post-season,” he said.
Mumbai Indians have had their share of injury troubles this year. A toe injury that later extended to the hamstring kept Rohit Sharma out for almost half the season. Captain Hardik Pandya as well missed 2 matches due to a back spasm.
Will Jacks joined the team late, while Mitchell Santner was ruled out halfway through the tournament. Although it doesn’t quite matter now, Quinton de Kock and Raj Angad Bawa have been ruled out too.
Jayawardene had himself revealed earlier that Jasprit Bumrah had been playing through a niggle.
“It was a collective conversation” – Jayawardene on Bumrah
When asked what kind of conversation had taken place within the team before the decision to let Bumrah play through injury was taken, Jayawardene said that everyone had been involved in the conversations.
He also said that Bumrah is the kind of bowler who would bounce back from the poor season he is currently having.
“It was a collective conversation with Bumrah and the training staff. It’s been a good conversation. We all learn from this kind of season. During these six to eight weeks, he worked hard to get back to where he should be,” he said. In IPL 2026, Jasprit Bumrah has taken just 4 wickets in 13 matches at a bowling average of 102.5 and an economy rate of 8.36.
Suryakumar Yadav is simply going through a rough patch- Mahela Jayawardene
On the failures of Suryakumar Yadav, Jayawardene said that the Indian T20I captain was a class act and was merely going through a rough patch. Jayawardene called him ‘naturally gifted’ and said that sometimes, a player’s confidence gets shaken.
“Suryakumar Yadav is a naturally gifted player. At the moment, it’s a combination of confidence and just going through a patch. It happens in cricket,” he concluded.
Suryakumar Yadav’s IPL 2026 has been in stark contrast to his IPL 2025. Last year, Suryakumar Yadav made more than 700 runs in 16 matches. This year, he has just 210 runs from 12 matches, at an average of 17.50 and a strike rate of almost 149.
Also Read: ICC plans massive rule change: Head coach referrals, red-to-pink ball switch among major calls
