The once-mighty Mumbai Indians are in unfamiliar territory—and it's leaving even the legends of the game stunned. Former MI spinner Harbhajan Singh has broken his silence on the team's dramatic decline in IPL 2026, and his observations cut straight to the heart of a franchise that looks nothing like its former self.

"I've never seen MI like this before," Harbhajan admitted, as the five-time champions were officially knocked out of playoff contention following a defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Raipur. For a team that has set the standard in the IPL for over a decade, this season has been a bitter pill to swallow.

At the center of the storm is Jasprit Bumrah, the world-class pacer who has managed just three wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of 8.51—a quiet campaign by his own sky-high standards. But Harbhajan is quick to defend Bumrah, pointing instead to a deeper issue: the team's alarming over-reliance on their star bowler.

"Jasprit Bumrah is the kind of bowler who can change a match at any moment. But relying too heavily on him is not the right thing to do," Harbhajan said. "I think the other bowlers in the side—like Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Hardik Pandya—are all low on confidence. The challenge in that camp is how to bring them back to the same level."

The numbers back up his concern. While Bumrah has bowled well at the death, the rest of the attack has struggled to find rhythm or consistency. Harbhajan highlighted a glaring weakness that has haunted MI all season: the lack of quality Indian spinners. "There used to be some good Indian spinners in the past, but there is no one at this point, and that is a major gap in the squad."

Perhaps most worrying for MI fans is what Harbhajan sees as a crisis of belief. The body language on the field has dropped significantly, and the swagger that once defined this franchise has evaporated. "Somebody else also needs to pick up wickets. The team's overall belief and body language have dropped," he noted. "A leader is needed to inspire the squad and change their fortunes on the field."

For a franchise that has built its legacy on resilience and star power, this season has been a stark reminder that even dynasties can crumble. As the IPL 2026 season winds down, Mumbai Indians are left to ask themselves a tough question: what will it take to bring the roar back to the Wankhede?