The ace Indian bowler has not achieved a single wicket in five matches this season.
“Bumrah is bowling well; it’s just that we aren’t applying enough pressure in the powerplay,” Jayawardene mentioned to reporters after the game.
“The opponents know they can bat cautiously against Bumrah. We have tried various approaches that he has as well, but they are playing effectively. I can’t pinpoint anything specific and say he hasn’t taken a wicket.”
Jayawardene also disclosed that Bumrah had been dealing with a minor injury earlier in this season, which might have contributed to a slight decrease in his pace.
“I believe initially he had a minor niggle stemming from the World Cup. We aimed to gradually increase his playing time, and over the past few games, his speeds have improved. We have monitored all of this, so he feels quite comfortable. Sometimes, luck plays a role too. (Bumrah) delivered some excellent deliveries to Shreyas (Iyer) but wasn’t fortunate enough. Once he begins taking wickets, it could become a turning point for him,” Jayawardene added.
However, he emphasized that the MI bowlers have been lacking precision this season.
Deepak Chahar, recruited for ₹9.75 crore prior to IPL 2025, has struggled to demonstrate sufficient accuracy with the new ball. Likewise, Shardul Thakur began strongly against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), claiming three wickets, but he has been off form since.
“As a (bowling) unit, as I mentioned earlier, we have lacked the necessary penetration on varying pitches, which is an area we need to improve (on) and assess how to move forward,” he stated.
The head coach confirmed that Rohit Sharma’s injury is not serious, and the team management is opting to be cautious as it is “still early stages” of the tournament.
“He began running yesterday (Wednesday), he batted too… taking it day by day to gauge how he feels. He understands his body better than anyone else. It’s nothing major, but we don’t want to rush things, especially at this early point in the season, so the medical staff will make that decision,” he commented.
MI will now head to Ahmedabad to face the Gujarat Titans on April 20, before hosting Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a key match on April 23.
(With PTI inputs)
