IPL 2018

With chances slipping away, time for MI to make tough calls

by Aayush Puthran • Last updated on

MI's failure to chase down a paltry target against SRH has led to question marks hanging over the form of their misfiring players © BCCI

Such was the frequency of Mumbai Indians' last-over defeats this season that they would've possibly forgotten what it meant to lose a game way before the formalities are completed. With last-over defeats, there was always a consolatory pat that came along, saying that they were good, just not the best on the day. It also gave room for a bit of pity and sympathy to sneak in through. Above all, there thrived the air of hope to flirt with. But the manner of MI's defeat on Tuesday left nothing to save, no curtains to hide behind; not even the cliched 'we're looking at the positives' to throw around.

"Today I am disappointed," Mahela Jayawardene, Mumbai Indians' head coach, said in no uncertain terms. "We have put ourselves in this situation, there is no one else to blame."

A team having a poor day isn't unheard of, and certainly not a crime. Every professional faces that, but there are two things that made this defeat more painful for MI than it would've been at another time. One among them is the timing of it and the situation that MI find themselves in as a result of it. With this defeat, they have only one win in over 40% of the league phase, placing their qualification chances to the playoffs at an extremely vulnerable position. Secondly, because chances to run over an opposition in IPL don't come any easier as MI found themselves in at the innings break.

Needing 119 to win, the hosts only had to bat 'sensibly'. And that they failed to do so, affected the chase. One of the many uncertified theories of sports states that winning is a habit, and so is losing. MI seem to have found themselves in the state of the latter. Despite the mega auctions, they had retained their core set of players, coaching staff and the playing style. Yet, let alone retaining the ability of turning games and winning key moments, they have slipped into the other end of the nervous contests. What they displayed against Sunrisers Hyderabad was their inability to stop sinking when the signs were evident early.

The disappointing bit about the defeat is that it has overshadowed all the good work. Just a few hours before MI had been bundled out for 87, they had managed to deliver a fine performance with the ball, bowling out the visitors in only 18.4 overs. The pitch on offer was unlike a conventional strip at the Wankhede but it didn't have demons either to trouble the batsmen. To further ease the hosts' chase was the absence of two of SRH's best pacers - Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Billy Stanlake. It was as easy as they came to MI. But, in a modest chase that would have required a bit of patience, MI self-destructed and put themselves in situations far worse than the SRH bowlers had pressured them into - taking no credit away from the latter.

"We really didn't have to take chances against their main bowlers. We had to knock it around and then maybe a couple of bowlers we could have attacked, they were not there with their full strength (bowling attack). With no Bhuvi, they had a young attack and we could have taken advantage of that. Thinking wise we were very poor.

"I was surprised with the slowness of the wicket, it was a fresh wicket. (The slowness was) not ideal for us as a home team but I am not blaming that, we need to play conditions. We saw the wicket when we bowled and knew that dew was going to come, so we could have been much smarter in our approach. I am not putting anything on (anyone), sometimes you need to take those challenges thrown to you and adapt, which we did not today that is disappointing," Jayawardene said.

And it is no surprise that the misfiring players the team management were backing so far for their so-near-yet-so-far efforts might find themselves in the line of fire after yesterday's loss. As Jayawardene stated after the match, he 'as a coach, might have to make some calls', but is keeping all the drastic decisions on hold for the next 24 hours.

"Kieron (Pollard) is struggling a little bit, but we need to trust the system. You need to trust your players, you can't chop and change just because someone doesn't fire. You have to go with that structure, and yes, eventually as a coach, I will have to make some calls which I have to think about. It is too early for me, I need 24 hours to think about what happened today and not be emotional about it."

Much like Pollard, the MI coach also reflected on the need for Hardik Pandya to evolve quickly as a batsman and work on his weaknesses in order to ensure that he stays one step ahead of the analysts and bowlers from working him out. There have been a few small contributions from him but he has largely failed to replicate the form and potency he had shown for the side in the last couple of seasons.

"Every year you can't bat the same way, if people don't evolve and improve, there is no progress," he noted. "Young guys like Hardik will learn that and need to work harder, the talent alone will not get you. Learning the game and thinking about the game, that's the part they need to keep learning and especially with good international bowlers coming and doing various things. You have to evolve, otherwise you won't be able to be consistent."

As of now, the big question is whether MI will continue with the same combination, knowing fully well that each of their No 6, 7 and 8 can single-handedly win games for them on their day. But with them needing at least six to seven more wins in the remaining eight games to put themselves in contention for the playoffs, they could well believe that their processes and routines are essential. For how long will they continue persisting with their non-performing assets remains to be seen. Or is it the ideal time to make a few bold calls?

© Cricbuzz

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