with Mumbai Indians (MI) The veteran South African all-rounder who struggled at the bottom of the points table Shaun Pollock pointed to three senior players as the biggest reason behind the disappointing IPL 2026 season so far.
Notably, Mumbai Indians’ journey to IPL 2026 has not been smooth sailing, with the five-time champions in deep trouble midway through the league stage. With just two wins from seven matches, MI remain near the bottom of the table and are running out of time to turn things around.
Injuries, poor form and repeated failures at key moments have hurt the side. Rohit SharmaA hamstring injury made matters more difficult as the veteran player missed the last three matches, all of which ended in defeat. While being a captain Hardik Pandya tried to hold things together, Mumbai looked far from their best.
Shaun Pollock questions MI’s reliable bowling core
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Pollock said Mumbai’s experienced bowling trio went into the tournament expecting to win the match, but things turned out the other way around.
According to Pollock, three stars – Trent Boult, Shardul Thakurand Deepak Chahar – there had to be reliable options to control the games, especially the Powerplay and death overs. Instead, their lack of influence exposed MI at crucial moments.
“They were let down by their three main bowling options – Boult, Thakur and Chahar. They would have been considered bankers in the pre-season. The 11 they are playing now is a far cry from what they would have picked right after the auction. That was probably the biggest surprise.” Pollock said.
He explained that these were players the franchise would have considered “bankers” before the season started, making their extraordinary performances all the more surprising.
Pollock also pointed out that the current XI looked very different to what Mumbai would have ideally picked immediately after the auction, showing how injuries and poor form have derailed their plans. He further added that MI had many options, which caused more confusion than clarity. He noted that squad depth should be a strength, but in Mumbai’s case it often leads to uncertainty in selection.
“They seem to have a lot of options. And that’s been the case for the last four or five years. If they get to the play-offs, they can get all the international and play-off experience. But for that to happen, they have to win this match first. The challenge comes from the strength they have. Ricklton hasn’t scored like that since De Kock.” added the former Proteas captain.
The heavy CSK defeat reveals deeper problems
Mumbai’s latest setback came in a crushing 103-run defeat against Chennai Super Kings, which highlighted major concerns in both batting and bowling.
Their Powerplay returns were among the worst of the tournament, while the middle order consistently failed to gain momentum. Even Jasprit Bumrah, usually MI’s biggest gun, endured an unusually lean patch early in the season before showing signs of recovery. He should have brought the franchise Keshav Maharaj as compensation for the wounded Mitchell Santneradded another layer of instability to the lineup.
What should MI do next to revive their campaigns?
To revive their campaign, Mumbai must now treat every remaining game as a knockout game. Another loss could all but shut the door on their playoff hopes. Rohit’s possible return as an Impact Player could give a big boost to the top order. Having him alone can help solve a batting unit that lacks confidence.
There is also growing support for Jasprit Bumrah to be used more often with the new ball. This strategy worked well against Gujarat Titans, who struck on the very first delivery and gave MI early momentum. Meanwhile, Hardik remains under pressure as both captain and all-rounder. His form with the bat and some questionable bowling decisions at the death have drawn criticism.
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