Mumbai Indians Powerplay Struggles Under Spotlight After Third Straight IPL 2026 Defeat

Mumbai Indians' struggles in IPL 2026 continued after their third consecutive defeat, with experts highlighting persistent issues in both batting tempo and bowling support beyond Jasprit Bumrah's overs.

Speaking on Star Sports' 'Amul Cricket Live', JioStar experts Sunil Gavaskar and Faf du Plessis analysed the areas where Mumbai Indians fell short during their loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Batting cost Mumbai Indians momentum, says Gavaskar

Speaking on Star Sports' 'Amul Cricket Live', JioStar expert Sunil Gavaskar weighed in on MI's batting performance: "At one stage, it looked like Mumbai Indians would struggle to reach 200. After Rohit Sharma's retirement and the dismissals of Rickelton and Tilak Varma in the same over, they went into a shell and were unable to break free.

"They needed

to score at least 12 runs more to stay on track with the required rate, but they couldn't manage that. Even while rotating strike, the required rate kept climbing. That is an area they need to address. As Hardik Pandya mentioned, both their batting and bowling Powerplays are not yielding the kind of results needed to take control of the game. "

Gavaskar's observations pointed to a recurring theme in Mumbai Indians' campaign so far - an inability to maintain scoring momentum after losing wickets, particularly during the middle overs. With required rates escalating quickly in modern T20 cricket, the lack of acceleration proved costly.

Mumbai Indians must find answers: Faf du Plessis

Speaking on Star Sports' 'Amul Cricket Live', JioStar expert Faf du Plessis analysed MI's bowling unit:"When you look at that bowling attack, especially in high-scoring games of 250 or more, you have to assess what the rest of the attack is conceding beyond Bumrah's four overs, which are usually very economical. That's where Mumbai Indians need to find answers.

"They need to maximise Bumrah's impact by using him at key stages, but it doesn't get any easier with strong batting line-ups continuing to dominate. They will need to sit down and reassess their approach, particularly in the Powerplay, whether that involves tactical changes or bringing in different personnel. "

Du Plessis' comments highlighted a growing concern - the heavy reliance on Jasprit Bumrah's overs to contain scoring, while the rest of the bowling attack struggles to maintain pressure.

With high-scoring contests becoming increasingly common this season, Mumbai Indians will need to quickly address both Powerplay inefficiency and bowling depth if they are to halt their losing streak.