Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar did not hold back on Jasprit Bumrah after the Mumbai Indians pacer three no balls against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday. Coming after finishing on top of the list for most wickets in the T20 World Cup 2026, Bumrah is going through a lean patch in IPL 2026, with just three scalps in 10 games so far.
Although Mumbai Indians snapped their three-match losing streak against LSG, Bumrah's struggle with the ball is one of the reasons for the Mumbai franchise's slump in the 2026 season. Despite the win, Mumbai Indians still languish at the ninth spot with six points from 10 matches.
Against LSG, Bumrah not only went wicketless, but also bowled three no balls, including two in a single over. In his four overs, Bumrah conceded 45 runs, without success and with three no-balls and three wide balls. Gavaskar, who was commentating on the game, stated bowling no-balls in T20 cricket is unacceptable.
“Do not tell me again. Do not tell me. Do not tell me that Bumrah has bowled a no-ball. That is not acceptable. That is not acceptable. You are a professional cricketer; it is not acceptable. Wides, yes, I understand, but no balls, no,” Gavaskar said on air.
Bumrah's consecutive no-balls came in the 14th over of LSG's innings. During that time the cameras panned towards the Mumbai Indians dugout where head coach Mahela Mahela Jayawardene and bowling coach Lasith Malinga looked dejected. "Yes, bowling coach. This is a big one,” remarked Gavaskar when the camera focussed on Malinga.
'Bumrah seems to be trying too many extra things'
After the game, Gavaskar analysed Bumrah's struggles on a JioStar show. According to the legendary Gavaskar, Bumrah seems to be trying too many extra things. “Bumrah is giving his best, but he seems to be trying too many extra things. He took a wicket after the strategic timeout, but it was a no-ball. Then he bowled a few more no-balls,” said Gavaskar.
"He is creating wicket-taking chances, but luck is not on his side. His pace has also dropped. His go-to slower ball length has become fuller. The line that used to target the stumps is now drifting to leg stump. He is not known for bowling many no-balls, but this season he has already bowled six or seven. He tried bowling fuller lengths, but that didn't work.
“He is overdoing things, and that's hurting him. He should go back to his basics and stick to what works best for him. Trying new things is affecting his rhythm and luck isn't helping either. It will take just one or two games. Once he starts picking up wickets, he will be back on track. But Bumrah needs to keep it simple and stop overcomplicating his bowling,” Gavaskar added.
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