'He's economical, we'll accept': Pollard backs Bumrah despite wicketless start

MUMBAI: Mumbai Indians’ batting Kieron Pollard has made it clear that his team isn’t sweating over ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah being unable to take a wicket in three matches in IPL-2026 so far. Bumrah has conceded 0 for 88 in 11 overs, logging an economy rate of 8.00.

Ahead of MI’s fourth match this season, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday night, Pollard asserted that MI were happy with Bumrah being economical as well.

"If you watch the game that is being played presently, the ball is going for over 100 knots (out of the ground). Sometimes, the best form of attack is also defence. And we're not looking too much into the wicketless nature of Jasprit Bumrah. He's a world-class bowler. He has done it time and time again for India and also for the Mumbai Indians. And again, when the time comes to get wickets, he'll get wickets. If not, and he's economical, we'll accept that as well," Pollard said at a press conference on Saturday.

Reminded that Bumrah has failed to take a wicket in MI's last four matches so far, having conceded 0-40 in four overs in the second qualifier of IPL-2025 in the five-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings at Ahmedabad, Pollard replied by saying, "It's fine. It can be Game 6 as well!"

In the last match, Bumrah seemed to be bowling at 130kmph at the most. Defending the premier pacer vigorously, Pollard said, "As it comes to the pace and the lack thereof, if the ball is going at 100 knots out of the ground, you don't want to fight fire with fire, right? You've got to try something different. But, again, as I said, we are not concerned about Bumrah. There's no issues. You guys sit and go into the intricacies of data and pace and wickets and all of that. And it can be 97 (kmph), it can be 105 (kmph), come next year. It's fine.

"We, and I, don't look at cricket as that. Cricket is a team sport. So, for us, it's about coming together as one and trying to get the desired result at the end of the day, because then I can look into all different things and create things that are not there. So, for us, he's fine, he's fit and firing. And for your sake, I hope he gets five wickets tomorrow. And the economy is about five as well. I think we'll be happy."

‘Will Jacks will join us very soon’

It has been puzzling to see the absence of English allrounder Will Jacks so far in the MI camp so far. The 27-year-old, who won four Player of the Match awards in the 2026 T20 World Cup, is set to miss MI's fourth match in IPL-2026.

Providing an update on English allrounder Jacks' arrival, Pollard said "We expect him very soon."

Jacks' no-show in the IPL has ignited a debate, with cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar questioning overseas players' IPL commitment in the light of delayed arrivals and a growing list of high-profile absences.

Asked if the 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals' batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi reminded Pollard of himself considering his explosive batting, Pollard showered praise on the youngster, but urged people to not write him off when he eventually also suffers a couple of failures.

"At 15 years (of age), I was still at school playing club cricket. I'm not even sure if I'll have a career. But, it's exciting to see a young guy taking the world by storm. He's using his youthful exuberance to his advantage, and long may that continue for him and for Indian cricket as well. We continue to churn out the talent, and we just need to continue to encourage him," Pollard complimented.

"One of the things I always say, let's not be on the bandwagon when he's here. And if you have a couple of failures and guys sort of figure him out, we then just throw him at the wayside and we forget all about him. I think that's the biggest fear for me as an individual being a cricketer, that we all run with the hype, and then when something happens…. He's a talent, he's doing well, and long may that continue for him," the former West Indian allrounder stressed.