Mumbai Indians (MI) registered a seven-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2025 match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Wednesday (April 23).
Riding on spectacular bowling performances from Trent Boult (4-26 in 4 overs) and Deepak Chahar (2-12 in 4 overs), MI restricted SRH to a below-par 143/8 in 20 overs.
In reply, MI overhauled the target in 15.4 overs, courtesy of Rohit Sharma’s 46-ball 70 and Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 40 off 19 balls.
After the win, Boult, who was adjudged Player-of-the-Match, backed "world-class" Rohit to play a pivotal role in the team's pursuit for a record-extending sixth IPL title.
Notably, Rohit was struggling for runs in the first phase of tournament but the former MI captain has made a timely return to form with back-to-back half-centuries.
"I think the whole side, the whole Mumbai Indians squad possesses some world-class players and obviously Rohit needs no introduction in that regard," Boult said at the post-match media interaction.
"I'm sure everyone wants to be contributing at some points, but Rohit's doing a fantastic job of late and playing nicely just at the right time. So he's going to play a huge role for us in the remaining part of the season. I think you just need to be prepared for any role,” he added.
The left-arm quick also praised captain Hardik Pandya for his leadership style, calling it a refreshing experience.
"Hardik's a passionate cricketer, obviously very skilful. He's a great leader, I think. He leads from the front.
"He's a great communicator. He's one of my favourite Indian cricketers, so to get the chance to play underneath him is a great experience."
Boult highlighted the importance of adaptability in a long tournament like the IPL. "At Rajasthan I was prepared to bowl at any stage of the match. I've been lucky enough to play 10 IPL seasons where it hasn't always been the same recipe every time. So I think the first thing is you've got to always want the ball.
"There's some great players in there. Obviously, (Jasprit) Bumrah needs no introduction either, so it's great to be having ball back in hand with him.”
Mumbai Indians had just one win in their first five matches, and now they have four on the bounce. As a result, they are currently holding the third spot on the 10-team points table and look poised for a playoff berth.
However, Boult is not looking too far ahead. "Momentum wasn't on our side to start with, but to turn it around to have four wins in a row was the focus, just to get a bit of momentum, a bit of rhythm. Guys playing nice cricket at certain points. We're not going to look too far ahead.
"It can quickly change. Looking forward to getting back home, playing in some conditions that we know pretty well, but there's a long way to go in this tournament,” he remarked.
(With PTI Inputs)
