Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth has come down hard on Mumbai Indians pacers Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur for their poor performances in the ongoing IPL 2026 tournament and has told the MI franchise to pay them their money and request them not to return for the remainder of the IPL.

This comes after five-time champions MI have started the IPL 2026 on the wrong foot, losing 4 out of their first five games. While the batting department has had some good performances, the bowling department has been poor in the field.

Chahar and Shardul have been targetted for leaking runs, with Thakur taking 6 wickets at an economy of 13.57 and Chahar managing only one scalp in three games thus far.

"I don't know how MI are playing Deepak Chahar in the XI. I don't know why they retained him. First over, he gave away 21 runs. In the previous match, it was 22 runs. 2.3 overs, 45 runs. Our sir, Shardul Thakur. 3 overs, 42 runs. Combined, they bowled 5.3 overs and gave away 87 runs.

How can you win a match if two of your important bowlers are giving away 87 runs in 5.3 overs? How can you play both of them in the XI? I asked that question in the pre-match show. Are you saying they don't have any good bowling options?” Srikkanth said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Srikkanth bluntly advised the MI management to send Chahar and Shardul home after paying them what was owed.

"Send them home. Pay them their money and request them to not return this season. Tell them if they are needed, they will be called. Yes, you can do this. It's not wrong," he stated.

On the other hand, MI’s star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has gone wicketless in all the matches, adding to the woes of the team management. Srikkanth feels Bumrah needs a break, having been overburdened in recent months.

"Five matches wicketless. He got hit also. He needs a mental break and a physical break. He gave his life and was at the peak of his prowess in the T20 World Cup. He was in the running for the Player of the Tournament award. They are now overburdening him.

I don't understand how I rated this bowling attack 9.5 at the start of the season. Even if they had scored 500, the opposition would have chased it. That's how bad their bowling attack is," he added.

MI will next face GT on April 20 in Ahmedabad.