Mumbai Indians should lessen their heavy dependence on Jasprit Bumrah to achieve better consistency in the IPL, according to former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis. The team, known for starting seasons slowly, has suffered three consecutive losses after their initial victory. In their latest match on Sunday evening, they allowed Royal Challengers Bengaluru to score 240 runs and could not reach the target. Bumrah remains their key bowler but has not taken a wicket in four outings. Du Plessis believes the side must develop strategies beyond Bumrah’s contributions while deploying him strategically.
“Examining that bowling lineup, particularly in matches with scores exceeding 250, it’s essential to evaluate what the other bowlers are giving away outside of Bumrah’s typically tight spells. That’s an area where Mumbai Indians must find solutions,” du Plessis stated to Star Sports.
“They should optimize Bumrah’s role by placing him in critical phases, but challenges persist with powerful batting sides prevailing. The team needs to review and adjust their tactics, especially in the opening overs, possibly through strategic shifts or personnel changes.” Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar suggests Mumbai Indians must enhance their performance in the initial overs for both batting and bowling.
“They required at least 12 additional runs to match the chase pace, but fell short. Even with steady scoring, the target rate increased. This is a key aspect to improve.
“As Hardik Pandya noted, their efforts in the batting and bowling Powerplays are not delivering the control necessary to dominate matches,” Gavaskar commented.
