Defending champions Mumbai Indians registered their first win of the season on Tuesday with a thumping 46-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore. The win came after the reigning champions lost three games on the trot. The dismal run has surely not helped Mumbai keep pace with the other teams. However, their skipper Rohit Sharma insisted that he was not worried with his side’s dismal start to the season.
Speaking after the win, Rohit said the team entered the game with good confidence.
“We were positive all throughout; to be honest I did not look into the last three games at all. They were close finishes; one bad shot from the batsman would have won us the game. So I did not look much into it. The only thing we did not do as a group in the last three games was sometimes (when) we batted well, (then) we did not bowl well. (When) we bowled well, we did not bat well. The idea was to get both of these departments going and we wanted to be consistent with both – our bowling as well as batting,” Rohit told media post Mumbai’s win.
Sent in to bat first, Mumbai were off to the worst possible start.They lost Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan on the first two deliveries of the match. However, Rohit led from the front, scoring 94 to help Mumbai post a daunting 213 for 6. In reply, Royal Challengers managed just 167/8 despite Virat Kohli’s 92 not out.
Rohit further credited the bowlers for starting well with which pretty much turned the game in Mumbai’s favour. Bangalore were off to a good start with Quinton de Kock and Virat Kohli adding 40 in the first 4 overs. However, Mitchell McClenaghan put Mumbai on top by sending back de Kock and AB de Villiers inside an over. Krunal Pandya the took three wickets to all but seal the game.
“I think today we did that and we got wickets with the new ball. Mitch (Mitchell McClenaghan bowled a great spell upfront to get the experienced batsmen out [Quinton de Kock and AB de Villiers], and then Krunal (Pandya) came in and used his variation to his advantage. Krunal is a very clever, thinking bowler. He knows exactly where the batsman is going to target him and what he has to bowl to that kind of players. He reads the batsman really well and not to forget Mayank (Markande) as well, he is just 20-year old playing his fourth game and to come out and bowl in such difficult conditions it is not easy. I think these two guys (have to be) given a lot of credit,” he said.
The skipper also made it clear that his side will continue with the pair of Suryakumar Yadav and Lewis at the top.
“I do not think right now we are looking to change anything. It is important to give the guys the comfort, because they should know where they are batting for the next few games. You cannot chop and change so much. I think it is not a good idea and it is not good for the team as well. They should know where they are batting and they can plan accordingly,” Rohit said.
Mumbai will next take on Rajasthan Royals.