In the high-stakes environment of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Mumbai Indians (MI) are grappling with a challenging start to their campaign. With four losses in five matches, the team is yet to find the consistency needed to climb up the points table. The recent defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by 12 runs at the iconic Wankhede Stadium has pushed MI to the eighth position, while RCB has surged to third with their third win in four matches.
Despite the setbacks, MI’s coach Mahela Jayawardene remains optimistic about the team’s core and their ability to turn things around. ‘I still back the senior pros; and all the guys I put out there, they have the skill. It’s just that we need to be a bit more ruthless and at times we’re missing out on those one or two overs where we lose our discipline,’ Jayawardene stated, emphasizing the need for a more aggressive and disciplined approach.
The match against RCB was a high-scoring affair, with RCB posting a formidable total of 221 for 5. MI, in response, came close but ultimately fell short, finishing at 209/9. The batting unit struggled to fire in unison, with key players like Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav underperforming. Rohit managed only 17 runs, continuing his poor form in the tournament, while Suryakumar scored 28. However, the return of premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah provided a much-needed boost, as he bowled a tight spell of 0/29 in four overs.
Jayawardene highlighted the team’s struggles during the powerplay, both with the bat and the ball. ‘Powerplay is a concern for us with the ball and the bat. The last few games, we were leaking too many runs with the ball in the powerplay; we’re not getting the starts and losing wickets, especially at Wankhede,’ he admitted. This has been a recurring issue for MI, and addressing it will be crucial for their revival.
Rohit Sharma’s struggles against left-arm pacers have been particularly noticeable, with scores of 0, 8, 13, and 17 in his four innings so far. Jayawardene, however, remains confident in Rohit’s ability to overcome this challenge. ‘I’m sure Ro (Rohit) has been working on it; he’s been practicing hard and he’s a very experienced player. I’m sure that (Rohit struggles against left-arm pace) is not the thing; he was trying to give us a good start and he played some really good shots,’ the coach remarked.
Despite the loss, there were moments of brilliance from MI’s players. Captain Hardik Pandya played a blistering knock of 42 off just 15 balls, while Tilak Verma contributed a solid 56 off 29 deliveries. Jayawardene praised their efforts but acknowledged that the team needs to play better cricket overall. ‘When Hardik walked in to bat, the conversation I had with him (was) try and see whether you can get three big overs in and that’s what he delivered and the momentum changed. Tilak started going as well, so we were close, but not good enough,’ he analyzed.
As MI looks to bounce back in the IPL 2025, the focus will be on rectifying their powerplay issues and harnessing the experience of their senior players to navigate through this challenging phase. Jayawardene’s call for ruthlessness and discipline will be key as the team strives to reclaim their winning form.