Jasprit Bumrah is enduring a challenging IPL 2026 season, claiming only two wickets in eight matches so far for the Mumbai Indians (MI).

Despite going wicketless and conceding 54 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Wednesday (April 29), MI batting coach Kieron Pollard threw his weight behind the ace pacer, emphasizing that even geniuses have off phases.

Pollard’s comment came after MI suffered a six-wicket defeat against SRH at the Wankhede Stadium, failing to defend a formidable total of 243 runs.

“When a cricketer is not doing well, we look at every single aspect as to why he's not doing well and there is no difference to Jasprit Bumrah,” Pollard said in the post-match press conference.

“He has done this for years. As a human being, you're entitled as well to make mistakes, not have a good day, not have a good season, not have a good couple months. I just feel that we need to sometimes remember the good things that he has done," the batting coach added.

Pollard appealing to cut some slack for Bumrah, who recently played a pivotal role in India’s T20 World Cup title defence.

“Yes, we try to live in the present and he hasn't been up to mark, but he has still been a No. 1 bowler for Mumbai Indians and India over a period of time. I just feel that sometimes we can cut some slack to us cricketers sometimes because, we are unfortunate to always be in the public eye so when we do bad, it's always been highlighted,” he remarked.

Pollard predicted Bumrah would soon return to form with greater heights. “I know he's going to bounce back with greater heights and take wickets and we all, again, (are) going to be singing Bumrah-Bumrah not only for Mumbai Indians, but (also) for India."

Pollard admitted the team has struggled to string together consistent, complete performances in IPL 2026, placing them at ninth spot in the standings with only two wins.

However, he rejected the idea that they are out of playoffs contention, stating they have "not accepted defeat" and remain mathematically in the tournament.

“We haven't been able to string a complete game of cricket together as a team. It has not been as consistent as we would have hoped,” he said. “We have accepted that (but) we have not accepted defeat. When I said defeat, I didn't want the headlines to be that Mumbai Indians now are defeated because mathematically and from a points’ perspective, we are still much in the tournament.”

Pollard brushed off concerns about the batting-friendly nature of Wankhede wickets, stressing that both teams play under the same conditions. He mentioned that the dressing room, despite the tough run, is "willing and wanting to fight."

“There's no point in harping on the type of wickets and all of that. Two teams are going to play on the surface, and it all boils down to who plays the better cricket,” Pollard said.

“But what I can safely say, in the dressing room and (with) the spirits of the guys, they are willing and wanting to fight. These things happen. You could have been worst off. But at the end of it, we're still playing a game of cricket and there are a lot of other things more serious in life as well. So it is what it is,” he concluded.