11 April,2022 09:49 AM IST | Pune | Shreeram Gokhale
Mumbai Indians’ Tilak Varma is run out by Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Glenn Maxwell at Pune on Saturday. Pic/BCCI; IPL
It's not been easy if one is currently part of the Mumbai Indians set up or a hard core MI fan. With four losses in their first four games in a somewhat new format, and where the team is still trying to figure out its best XI, Mumbai Indians really have a massive challenge in front of them.
They have been a bit below par in all three departments, but it's the batting that has been a bigger let down for the Rohit Sharma-led unit. Because thrice out of the four games so far, MI have batted first, and failed to give their bowlers a total that they can feel comfortable with. Scores of 161 v KKR a few days ago and 151 v RCB on Saturday had already reduced the margins for errors for MI's bowling unit. Three out of four times, MI have got to a total of 50 or more in the Powerplay. It's the batting in the middle overs that has really let them down.
MI's average run rate of 6.72 from overs seven to 16 is the lowest among all teams at this IPL so far. Their middle-overs batting performance so far reads - 49 for six v RCB, 63 for two v KKR, 87 for four v RR (chasing 194 for win) and 70 for three v DC.
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Not only is it taking the momentum away from their innings, it is making it nearly impossible for the team to get to 180-plus totals.
Saturday's game against RCB was another prime example of throwing away a good start. From 50 for no loss in the Powerplay, MI lost six wickets for just 49 runs in the next 10 overs. As a result, despite some remarkable ball-striking from Suryakumar Yadav, they ended up with a total of 151, which was well below par. "It was definitely not a 150-run pitch," MI skipper Rohit Sharma admitted after the match, while talking to the host broadcaster.
"We want batters to bat deep. And if you get runs on the board, there's something for the bowlers to do," Rohit added. It is still early days however as MI's Director of Cricket Operations Zaheer Khan pointed out at the post-match press interaction on Saturday, but the MI think tank clearly knows that they will have to find solutions fast.
Five
No. of wickets Mumbai Indians lost for just 12 runs (from 50-0 to 62-5) v RCB on Saturday
