- Jasprit Bumrah finished IPL 2026 with just four wickets in 13 matches
- Dale Steyn predicts a strong comeback season for the Mumbai Indians pacer
- AB de Villiers says Bumrah remains the world’s best all-format bowler
Jasprit Bumrah has endured a rare off season in the IPL but two of South Africa’s biggest cricketing names believe the Mumbai Indians spearhead is far from finished.
Former fast bowling great Dale Steyn and ex-Proteas captain AB de Villiers have rallied behind the India quick after a difficult IPL 2026 campaign that saw him struggle for rhythm and wickets.
Bumrah managed just four wickets in 13 appearances for Mumbai Indians and ended the season with an unusually high bowling average of 102.50.
Steyn insists one poor IPL season changes nothing
Speaking on de Villiers’ YouTube channel, Steyn pointed out that Bumrah had only recently starred in India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup triumph and warned against judging him on one difficult tournament.
“He won a World Cup just a month-and-a-half or two months ago and he was probably one of the bowlers of the tournament. So you cannot focus on him primarily,” Steyn said on AB de Villiers’ YouTube channel.
The former South African pacer also stressed that even elite cricketers experience lean patches during long seasons.
“There have been good batters at this IPL that have not hit the ground running. So it shows that he is human,” Steyn added.
Read more: 3 highest bowling averages in T20 tournament history
Dale Steyn’s bold prediction for next IPL season
Despite Bumrah’s disappointing numbers, Steyn believes the Indian fast bowler could produce a remarkable turnaround next year and even challenge for the Purple Cap.
“He will come back strong and next season he will probably win the Purple Cap,” Steyn said.
The prediction comes after Bumrah recorded the toughest IPL campaign of his career statistically, a surprising dip for a bowler widely regarded as one of the best in modern cricket.
AB de Villiers backs Bumrah to return stronger
De Villiers echoed Steyn’s views and insisted Bumrah’s class remains unquestionable despite the difficult season.
“Bumrah’s worst IPL of his life. I think his average is over 100 this year,” de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
The former South African captain maintained that one poor tournament cannot erase years of dominance across formats.
“I still think he is the greatest bowler right now in all formats around the world. So that has not changed. One bad performance does not take the class out of a player. He will be back. There is no doubt about it,” de Villiers added.
Also read: How yorkers are returning to cricket’s mainstream
Bumrah rested ahead of busy India schedule
Bumrah’s struggles came as a surprise considering his outstanding performances during India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign where he consistently delivered in pressure situations.
The India pacer has now been rested for the upcoming home series against Afghanistan national cricket team as team management looks to keep him fresh for a packed international calendar later this year.
For now, the numbers may paint a grim picture. But if Steyn and de Villiers are right, Bumrah’s comeback story could become one of the defining narratives of IPL 2027.
Stay up to date with all the latest IPL content with Read Cricket and follow us on Instagram.
