Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are all set to take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in the opening match of their IPL 2026 season at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, March 29. Ahead of this big encounter, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane has openly shared how difficult it is to deal with MI’s biggest weapon, Jasprit Bumrah.
Jasprit Bumrah is the heart and soul of the Mumbai Indians bowling attack. The top Indian fast bowler remains the five-time IPL champions’ main strike bowler in every part of the innings.
Jasprit Bumrah remains Mumbai’s most dangerous bowling weapon
He troubles the batsmen in the power play, keeps things tight in the middle overs and remains almost unstoppable in the death overs due to his accurate yorkers and sharp variations.
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With big names like Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar and captain Hardik Pandya in the mix, MI’s pace attack looks even more fearsome in the ongoing IPL 2026. However, Rahane is not worried at all. The KKR captain said that facing Bumrah requires complete focus.
Ajinkya Rahane believes that when a bowler of Bumrah’s class is running, the batsman’s mind can easily get disturbed and the only way to survive in this situation is to keep his eyes completely on the ball and respond to each delivery with full attention.
Ajinkya Rahane told the real challenge of facing Jasprit Bumrah and his plan to deal with it.
In advice to his KKR batsmen, Ajinkya Rahane has revealed that every ball from Bumrah demands a new level of concentration, and that is how they can deal with MI’s biggest threat.
“There are a lot of good bowlers in the tournament, like Jasprit Bumrah. He is a world-class bowler. If you want to face him, you basically have to see the ball well,” Ajinkya Rahane said on Star Sports.
“If you think if Jasprit Bumrah bowls to you, your mind can wander. So, if you can focus on the ball and react accordingly and try to give your best on every ball when Jasprit Bumrah bowls, I think that’s the plan as a batsman.”
The game recognizes the game @jinkyarahane88 He spoke openly on the challenge of facing Jasprit Bumrah #CaptainsDay #TATAIPL 2026 #MIvKKR | Sunday, March 29, 6:30 pm pic.twitter.com/XdgEEC96SF
– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) 29 March 2026
Overseas slot makes KKR’s opening decision more difficult
Meanwhile, after missing the playoffs last season, KKR have come back stronger and faster. For this season, they have two big match-winners, Cameron Green and Finn Allen.
But the biggest question looming over the team is their opening pair. In IPL 2025, KKR kept slipping at the top and were never able to put together a single fifty-run partnership. Even though Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine played some explosive innings, KKR never got a steady start and they suffered for it last season.
Now, with a dangerous MI bowling attack awaiting them, KKR cannot afford another slow start. Finn Allen and Tim Seifert are fighting for the overseas opener’s spot in the line-up, while Green is expected to take over at No. 3 in the ongoing IPL 2026.
If they choose Allen or Seifert as the overseas opener, a crucial overseas slot is immediately eliminated. However, they can rely on an Indian keeper like Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and if the three-time champions go this route, they will have another overseas option to choose from.
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