Jasprit Bumrah scripts unwanted record; becomes first bowler to… in IPL History
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A Season of Unprecedented Struggles for India’s Premier Pacer
The 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be remembered for many surprising turnarounds, but none more unexpected than the dramatic slump of Mumbai Indians’ ace speedster. In a development that has stunned cricket analysts and fans worldwide, Jasprit Bumrah scripts unwanted record; becomes first bowler to… register a bowling average of over 100 in a single IPL season. This statistic stands out as a historic anomaly for a bowler widely considered to be one of the finest in the modern era of the sport.
Bumrah’s campaign ended quietly as he did not feature in Mumbai Indians’ final league match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Wankhede Stadium. Sitting out of the final fixture capped off a woeful IPL 2026 season in which the 32-year-old managed to pick up a mere four wickets. This performance represents the pacer’s worst-ever statistical showing since the 2015 season, a time when a young Bumrah was still establishing his place in the squad and managed only three scalps across four appearances.
Breaking Down the Numbers: A Historic Statistical Dip
The core of Bumrah’s struggles this year lies in his final bowling average, which ballooned to an unprecedented 102.5. To put this into perspective, this is officially the worst bowling average recorded by any player in a single season in the history of the Indian Premier League. Prior to this season, the record for the worst bowling average belonged to former Indian left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who recorded an average of 95 during the 2014 season.
Other notable bowling struggles in past IPL seasons include legendary Australian fast bowler Brett Lee, who recorded a bowling average of 67 during the 2011 season while playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Additionally, prominent spin options like Harbhajan Singh and Krunal Pandya have previously seen their season averages rise into the early to mid-60s during challenging campaigns.
Intriguingly, a peculiar trend connects most of these tough individual campaigns. Apart from Brett Lee, who was playing for KKR at the time, all of the other bowlerrs on this list—Pragyan Ojha, Harbhajan Singh, Krunal Pandya, and now Jasprit Bumrah—suffered these statistical lows while representing the Mumbai Indians. The recurring pattern raises questions about the team’s defensive bowling strategies during these specific low-performing years.
The Lone Bright Spot and Mumbai Indians’ Team Struggles
Throughout the highly difficult IPL 2026 season, Bumrah’s best individual performance came during the Ahmedabad fixture against Gujarat Titans (GT). In that match, the right-arm seamer produced a controlled spell of 1/15, showing glimpses of the economical and destructive bowler fans have grown accustomed to. Unfortunately, this performance remained an isolated bright spot in a sea of otherwise tough outings.
Bumrah’s personal dip was reflective of a larger, systemic struggle within the Mumbai Indians squad. The five-time champions endured a highly disappointing season, finishing in the ninth spot on the table with just eight points from their 14 group-stage matches. The franchise barely managed to avoid finishing at the very bottom of the table, escaping the wooden spoon only by virtue of a slightly superior net run-rate over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
Ravichandran Ashwin Expresses Dismay Over MI’s Campaign
The struggles of the prominent franchise drew sharp observations from fellow Indian international Ravichandran Ashwin. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the veteran off-spinner expressed his genuine surprise and dismay over the performances of Mumbai Indians’ premier stars during the IPL 2026 campaign.
Ashwin did not hold back in his assessment of the team’s balance and current structure. “Mumbai’s side felt a bit strange this year, don’t know why,” Ashwin remarked. “They have quality players, but it will not surprise me if they struggle for one more season. Their team structure has players who aren’t at their best. If MI don’t have a good season in 2027, I won’t be surprised.”
Addressing the historic statistical record set by MI’s leading paceman, the 39-year-old spinner added, “Bumrah wasn’t playing today, and he has recorded the worst ever bowling average in the history of the league. This is the first time any bowler has been part of a full season of the league and averaged over 100.”
As Mumbai Indians look ahead to the future and begin planning for the 2027 season, addressing the structural flaws in their bowling unit and helping their key spearhead regain his peak form will undoubtedly be their highest priority.