The Mumbai Indians (MI) suffered a narrow defeat against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their opening match of the IPL 2024 season. While the loss stings, batting coach Kieron Pollard took the opportunity to highlight some positives, particularly the performances of young players.
Kieron Pollard praises debutant Naman Dhir
Four players made their MI debuts in this match, including Naman Dhir. Kieron Pollard commended the scouts and support staff who unearthed this talent. Naman Dhir impressed with his performance, showcasing calmness and intent at the crease despite the early loss of a wicket.
“He was on the radar,” Kieron Pollard said of Naman Dhir in the post-match press conference. “We’d seen what he could do, and he came out and was very expressive.” Kieron Pollard acknowledged Dhir’s potential while urging fans to give him space to develop. “This is merely the start of something,” he stressed, reminding everyone that Dhir only managed 20-odd runs in this match.
Pollard’s firm support for Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, continued his struggle for form, dismissed for a duck. Despite Kishan’s recent slump, Pollard expressed unwavering support for the young batsman.
“He’s an experienced guy within our setup. And we expect big things from Ishan. He’s in a good space, has been practising well, and has been fairly decently, so hopefully, within the next couple of games, we can see an outstanding performance from him, and then all of you guys will continue to laud his praise when he does that,” Pollard stated confidently.
Looking ahead in IPL 2024
While acknowledging the pain of the loss, Kieron Pollard emphasized MI’s history of bouncing back stronger. He concluded with a message to the fans, urging them to look forward to the next match on Wednesday.
MI will have their work cut out for them as they aim to turn things around and secure their first win of the season against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Pollard’s unwavering support for his players, both established and upcoming, suggests that MI is determined to overcome this initial setback and emerge as strong contenders in IPL 2024.
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