Former South African captain and veteran batsman of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has warned Mumbai Indians (MI) about one of their experienced fast bowlers. Ahead of IPL 2026, the five-time league winners may have been confident enough to claim their sixth title, but Villiers gave them a reality check with his prime assessment on their bowling attack.
The former champions’ bowling attack looks strong enough for another title shot as Jasprit Bumrah is in form, and the team will be hoping to see the same form from the fast bowler that he displayed in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Trent Boult set to pair with Jasprit Bumrah in IPL 2026
Mumbai captain Hardik Pandya can rely on Bumrah and New Zealand star Trent Boult for the responsibility of fast bowling. Boult is a proven bowler across all formats, but will he be able to bring out the best in the 2026 campaign for Mumbai Indians? There are many doubts in the mind of AB de Villiers.
According to Villiers’ observation, the New Zealand pace bowler has passed his peak and lost the edge. The former batsman compared Boult’s declining pace to that of RCB fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar. To Villiers, Boult has lost a yard like the Indian fast bowler.
Trent Boult is a matter of concern for me: AB de Villiers
“One area of concern for me is Trent Boult. It’s similar to Bhuvi’s situation, where he has lost a yard. He is not as spicy as he was from 2018 to 2020. Ever since I have seen him play, he has looked more expensive than of late. MI probably think they have a lot of insurance there, but perhaps that is a false sense of security. This could be an area that some opposition batsmen will target,” the former international cricketer said. Told on his YouTube channel.
Kiwi fast bowler performed well for MI in IPL 2025
The Kiwi fast bowler had returned to the team last season by pairing with Jasprit Bumrah. Boult was a bit expensive, especially during the initial phase of IPL 2025. In the latter half of the season, as the matches progressed, the left-arm fast bowler proved effective in taking wickets.
In 16 matches for Mumbai Indians, the seamer took 22 wickets at an economy rate of 8.96, including his best of 4/22. The franchise bought Trent Boult for Rs 12.50 crore during the IPL 2025 mega auction.
For MI Cape Town, Trent Boult proved expensive last season as he gave away runs at an economy rate of 9.82, which was not satisfactory for a bowler of his calibre. 10 SA20 in 2025-26; In the campaign, he managed to take only 8 wickets, whereas in the previous season of the tournament Boult had taken 11 wickets in 11 matches, and the economy rate was less than seven.
So, there is a valid basis to talk about what AB de Villiers saw and explained. The Mumbai Indians team management may also have taken note of the bowler’s recent poor statistics.
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