Mahela Jayawardene Breaks Silence On Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma And Jasprit Bumrah's Lean Patch

MI Coach on players' poor form [Source: AFP]

Mumbai Indians are having a nightmarish season in IPL 2026 after losing 7 of the first 9 games. The struggles of key players like Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Tilak Varma have only compounded their problems, leaving their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

MI lost their last fixture against CSK at Chepauk Stadium in another one-sided contest. The batting unit collapsed while the bowlers appeared clueless as Chennai sealed a comfortable 8-wicket win.

After the game concluded, MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene opened up on the persistent struggles of their decorated trio- Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Jasprit Bumrah. 

Mahela Jayawardene opens up on Suryakumar Yadav’s poor form

A major point of concern for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026 is the lean patch of star players like Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Jasprit Bumrah.

Suryakumar has fallen well below expectations, with the explosive batter averaging around 20. Yet, Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene believes the numbers don’t fully capture his contributions.

“I don’t think his output is down; if he gets a few scores together, I think he’ll find that rhythm. He played really well today for that period, really took on the bowlers in that phase. I think another couple of overs, he could have been off for a really good score. Sometimes when things are not going your way, it doesn’t fall in place,” Jayawardene said in post-match press conference.

Jayawardene believes SKY has found well-struck shots, which unfortunately found fielders, which means he is just out of luck.

“I think it was a pretty good shot that went straight to the fielder. He’s definitely up for it, I think he’s in a good space, it’s just that it hasn’t worked, like the amount of times he’s got caught on the boundary this season with some of those shots. It’s just a matter of time, but I think he himself is disappointed and just has to keep on working harder," he added.

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Where are Tilak and Bumrah lacking?

Apart from Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma has also been inconsistent. Barring a couple of powerplay knocks, Varma’s low strike rate has become a recurring issue for the Mumbai Indians. Mahela Jayawardene, however, backed Varma, citing his inexperience compared to others. 

“Tilak Varma is also still learning and playing different roles that he’s been asked to play. T20 cricket is not that easy, I think the more he plays different situations, he’ll understand what he needs to do… handling situations, being a bit more proactive in thinking what we need to do in those situations is something he’ll find," he said.

Also, Jasprit Bumrah, MI’s legendary fast bowler, has repeatedly struggled to take wickets. In 9 games, he has picked just 3 wickets at a 94.66 average. But Jayawardene dismissed concerns of an individual slump.

The coach stressed that a lack of support from the rest of the attack has forced Bumrah into a more defensive role, limiting his effectiveness as a strike bowler.

“It’s not just Booms; it’s a collective effort from all the bowlers. When everyone’s working together, and you’re picking up wickets here and there, that helps Bumrah to be a bit more aggressive as well, rather than doing a holding job. Everyone tends to have a slow season, but class is always permanent,” Mahela concluded.

Mumbai Indians on the brink of playoff elimination

With 7 losses in 9 games, the Mumbai Indians have dropped to the ninth spot on the points table with just 4 points and a negative NRR. At this rate, MI are only mathematically alive in the playoff race.

They will not only have to win their remaining fixtures but also hope that other teams’ results go in their favour. However, realistically, Mumbai’s chances appear absolutely bleak.

The five-time champions have lacked identity this IPL 2026 season, and certainly, the management has to introspect on a lot of things going forward.

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