Mumbai Indians (MI) are having a tough time in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. They have lost all five games in the competition so far and their chances of qualifying for the playoffs look bleak now.
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 outclassed by seven wickets in their fourth game versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
The five-time champions were at the receiving end of a 12-run defeat in their last outing against Punjab Kings (PBKS).
Mumbai Indians are due to take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their next match on April 16 at Brabourne Stadium. On the eve of the game, MI’s star batter Suryakumar Yadav urged everyone to show some patience as the franchise is undergoing a transition phase currently.
"As you have seen, it is a fresh auction and we are building this team for the next three-four years, coming a few years down the line, you will see some great players coming out from this team," Surya said at the virtual pre-match press conference.
He cited the examples of young batters Dewald Brevis and Tilak Varma to prove his point.
"There have been a lot of positives, not only a few; you can see Dewald (Brevis), Tilak (Varma), and many more new faces," he added.
MI may not have opened their winning account yet, but Surya said they're not a team to press the panic button.
"We are playing some good cricket from game one and there is no situation like panicking for a team like MI. We have been following good processes in the past few years and we are just sticking to it.
"If we just keep doing it, we will eventually get our first win and we just have to keep working hard towards our goal together, which we are doing in practice sessions, and that is about it," he added.
Asked whether seniors in the team should take more responsibility, Surya said: "Everyone is trying their best, no one actually gets out like that, I mean it is all about a few games and the way they are playing, the way they have been putting hard work in the practice sessions, I am sure it is going to come on."
Unlike the last two seasons when Suryakumar Yadav was batting at No. 3, he is seen batting lower down the order – at four and five – this year.
"That is a management's call, but like I have always said, I am always flexible to bat at any position, be it three, four, five or six. The number doesn't matter to me, what matters is what I can do in that situation," he concluded.
(With PTI inputs)
