Winning the toss and inviting the Rajasthan Royals to bat says two things: Captain Rohit Sharma backed the trueness of the pitch and his batsmen to chase on this surface. With little or no wear and tear expected, MI won without any hiccups.
RR skipper Sanju Samson
A new venue, a different surface and a team with new spirit. Mumbai Indians looked a different side on a surface that suited their cavalier style of play at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Thursday.
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Winning the toss and inviting the Rajasthan Royals to bat says two things: Captain Rohit Sharma backed the trueness of the pitch and his batsmen to chase on this surface. With little or no wear and tear expected, MI won without any hiccups.
Solid opening stand
For the Royals, Jos Buttler (41 off 32 balls) and a seemingly much more confident Yashasvi Jaiswal (32 off 20 balls), provided them a solid start (66 in 7.4 overs) that seemed good enough to get them near 200.
Skipper Sanju Samson (42 off 27 balls) and Shivam Dube (35 off 31 balls) seemed to put the brakes on their own innings.
A total of 171-4 is below-par for a team that have got a good start. MI pacer Jasprit Bumrah hitting his straps with 1-15 off four overs and the reliable Rahul Chahar (2-33 off four over) helped restrict the Royals, who through their lack of initiative, didn’t press harder on the accelerator.
David Miller, who played only four balls and Chris Morris as well as Rahul Tewatia, specialists in this format’s slog overs, not getting a hit helped MI restrict the Royals.
Mumbai’s reply was unlike what we have seen on the slow surfaces at Chepauk in Chennai—positive, fearless and in attack mode. Quinton de Kock (70 not out off 50 balls), Krunal Pandya (39 off 26 balls) and Kieron Pollard (16 off eight) ensuring a MI win with more than an over to spare was emphatic.
RR need to look at their batting slots. Key players not getting a hit in 20 overs is a strategic blunder that can be addressed. Mumbai on the other hand, appear more comfortable on surfaces that have a bit of carry and bounce, so this phase could be one that they capitalise on, with wins under their belt.
Mumbai are a bowler short
I still believe Mumbai are a bowler short. They will need to have a back-up plan if Bumrah, Chahar or Trent Boult experience an ordinary day at the office.
Former Mumbai captain Shishir Hattangadi is currently CEO of Baroda Cricket Association
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