GT vs MI: Pandya explains decision to give Bumrah the new ball in Ahmedabad

Bumrah elated after taking first wicket of the IPL 2026 season. (PC: BCCI)

Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya opened up on the idea of giving the new ball to Jasprit Bumrah, who broke his wicketless run against Gujarat Titans in his team’s 99-run win in Ahmedabad on Monday.

Bumrah failed to pick up a single wicket in the first five matches — the longest dry spell of his career. Pandya was blamed by many for not using the MI bowling spearhead in the powerplay. Against GT, he handed the ball to Bumrah, and with his first delivery, the right-arm pacer removed Sai Sudharsan.

“Yeah, it’s quite fascinating. I’ve seen a lot of people say, ‘Why has Jassie never bowled…?’ But if you see, it’s been 138 [151] appearances, and I think 8 or 9 times Jasprit has bowled the first over,” Pandya said in the post-match presentation ceremony. “So I don’t think it’s a Hardik Pandya problem. It’s just that Jasprit Bumrah is so special that you use him wherever it’s required for the team, not necessarily at the start. But yeah, today was something we realised, that we really wanted to make an impact with the new ball, and no one’s better than him.”

Defending 200 against an in-form GT outfit, MI needed early wickets. Bumrah, who finished with 1/15 in his three overs, gave the team the ideal start, and he was backed by Pandya himself, who also bowled with the new ball and claimed the all-important wicket of Jos Buttler.

GT were eventually bowled out for 100. This was MI’s second win of the season and their first at an away venue.

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