Mumbai Indians (MI) are having a tough time in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. They have lost their first four games under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma.
While the five-time champions suffered a four-wicket defeat in their tournament opener against Delhi Capitals (DC), they lost to Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 23 runs in the second fixture.
MI received a five-wicket thrashing at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their third match whereas they were defeated by seven wickets in their last outing versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Mumbai Indians are due to take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their next match on April 13 at Brabourne Stadium. On the eve of the game, MI’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah stated that there is a long way to go in the tournament and they are focused on what they have to do in the upcoming fixtures.
“It’s history (four losses), doesn’t really matter. Because that was a different team, different time, different scenario. Right now, we live in the present. Yes, things have not gone according to plan so far, but we keep on fighting and we keep on finding a way,” Bumrah said, as quoted by The Indian Express.
“That is the way the game of cricket works. Whenever a challenge comes, you try to find solutions to the challenge and we are trying to do that,” he added.
Dew has played a vital role this season so far as bowlers have found it tough to grip the ball, especially in the second innings.
When asked whether MI went back to the drawing board and planned new strategies after losses, Bumrah replied: “You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, right? You don’t need to bring new inspiration.”
“Everybody enjoys the game, that is why we’re playing cricket. So, no other inspiration is required. Yes, the challenges are always interesting. You always want to challenge yourself whenever you come up against any situation. This year when the wickets are helping the batters and it’s difficult to take wickets, you have to find your ways. We are no different. We’re trying to find new ways. There has been a lot of discussion on how we can make an impact in this current situation. We’ve come up with a few plans.”
“If it was up to me, I would say win the toss. That really helps! But yes, whenever you come into this scenario, there is a little bit of help with the new ball, so maintaining a good line, trying to swing the ball upfront, I think, will help you. As soon as you come to the later stages, be it the first innings or the second innings, the wicket settles down. So then maybe you have to start your death bowling a little early. All of these pointers might help the other bowlers as well, so we’re looking to address that as soon as possible and then use it to our advantage,” he further remarked.
IPL 2022 is a 10-team competition with players now spread across 10 franchises and new combinations are being devised.
“It’s a transition phase that every cricketer understands, and every team goes through that. We are in that phase; we’ve got a new group. We’ve got some of the old core group as well, but a lot of new guys who are understanding the team, understanding the franchise, understanding how the scenarios work. Lots of new young players, upcoming talent, in our team as well. So, understanding the format of the IPL, how you have to handle pressure and achieve success in this league, we are going through that. We enjoy that. Every player has gone through that. When we get through this phase, we hope to have all the players we had, and the quality will come back again,” Bumrah asserted.
(With The Indian Express inputs)
