MUMBAI: With eight defeats in as many matches in IPL 2022, five-time champions Mumbai Indians are all but out of the race for the playoffs. The top order hasn't fired at all, the middle and lower order hasn't been able to give the finishing touch and bowlers haven't been as impactful as they should have been.
In short, Mumbai haven't fired at all as a unit in the tournament. With six matches left in their forgettable campaign, starting from the clash against Rajasthan Royals at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday, batting coach Robin Singh believes that the side is focusesd on ending the tournament on a high note.
"We have been very, very close. I think the Chennai game was probably the template that we want. Unfortunately, we lost the game, but that's part of the game, we understand that. The way forward is really to finish on a high. We've addressed that. We want to win; most people are geared up to win. We still have the hunger to win, and from a franchise perspective, we want to make sure that we make the franchise proud, " said Singh in the pre-match virtual press conference.
Asked about what has gone wrong for Mumbai in IPL 2022, Singh straightaway pointed toward not clicking as a unit. "It's very simple. We have not performed as a team, together. If you look at most of the games that we have played, we have done well in bits and pieces. This is one format where you need to be consistent whether you bat or you bowl, throughout the game. It's not about 20 overs, it's the total 40-overs game, and that is something we have not stitched together. We are hoping to do that."
One of the issues for Mumbai has been the absence of a fantastic start from openers, wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan and captain Rohit Sharma. Kishan, brought back by the franchise for a whopping INR 15.25 crore in the mega auction, began the tournament well with 81 not out and 54. But hasn't found the runs coming in his last few games.
In the match against Lucknow Super Giants, Kishan struggled to get fluency, making just eight runs in 20 balls. Singh trusts Kishan to regain the form he had in the first two matches in the remainder of the tournament.
"We've addressed a few things that we feel that he can improve on. Obviously, it's about getting better during the course of the game. As you know, he started very well. But he fell away a little bit. We sort of revisited the entire tournament, we addressed a few things and we're hoping that he'll get back the same sort of form that he started with."
On the other hand, Sharma hasn't gone on to get the big scores he usually does. In IPL 2022, Sharma has made just 153 runs at an average of 19.13. But Singh has backed him to break his struggling run and find his groove.
"As a batsman, you need to address what you think is important to you. I think he's put in a lot of work. We've spent a lot of time with him, at the nets, at the ground�and I think like Ishan Kishan, we have addressed what he needs to do. As an individual, as a batsman, and as a senior batsman, he knows his responsibility. So that is something he has put his hand up for and I'm pretty sure he'll come back very strongly."