Jasprit Bumrah, the star pacer who made his debut for Mumbai Indians in 2013, has been a cornerstone of the franchise, playing 157 matches and taking 186 wickets. However, during the IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on Thursday, Bumrah assumed a different role: captain.
With regular skipper Hardik Pandya and stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav unavailable, Bumrah was handed the Mumbai Indians captaincy. He delivered a stellar performance, leading the team to a six-wicket victory over Punjab Kings.
This was not Bumrah's first experience as captain. He has previously led India in both Test matches and T20Is. His leadership experience includes captaining India in two Tests during the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia and the rescheduled Birmingham Test against England in 2022. He has also captained India in two T20Is, both of which India won.
After the match, which marked Mumbai Indians' first win after being eliminated from the IPL 2026 playoff race, Bumrah was asked about his captaincy experience. He said, "Yeah, first game, like I said, I've captained a Test match. I've captained T20Is. Now the only game that is left is ODI cricket. But I don't see that happening (laughs), but jokes apart. Really happy. I had good fun, good weather, great ground. So enjoyed my time."
A blistering half-century from Tilak Varma and an explosive innings from Ryan Rickelton powered Mumbai Indians to the six-wicket win. Bumrah praised the team's execution on a drier surface than expected, where maintaining consistent lengths was crucial. "Yeah, one from one (smiles). Both teams played good cricket, and we really pulled back well. A little bit, but the wicket in this game looked a little bit drier than the previous one. Maybe it wasn't as cold as it was in the last game. Whatever we saw in the previous game and reading this game, holding your length was key. That was the plan, and credit to all bowlers, and they kept their nerve as well. I think Tilak's knock and the way Shardul bowled both deserve equal credit. Tilak kept his shape, Jacks also contributed," Bumrah said.
Despite the win, Bumrah has had a difficult IPL 2026 campaign, taking just three wickets in 12 matches. He has gone wicketless in eight games and currently has an economy rate of 8.53.
Bumrah's Captaincy Journey
Bumrah's captaincy experience extends beyond the IPL. He led India in two Tests during the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia and the rescheduled Birmingham Test against England in 2022. He also captained India in two T20Is, both victories.
Match Highlights
The match saw Tilak Varma score a blazing half-century, while Ryan Rickelton played an explosive innings. Shardul Thakur also contributed with the ball, earning praise from Bumrah.
The victory was a bright spot for Mumbai Indians, who had already been eliminated from the playoff race. The team will look to build on this performance in their remaining matches.
