Four losses in five matches and Mumbai Indians are competing with fellow five-time champions Chennai Super Kings for the bottom spot in the IPL 2025 Points Table. Despite individual brilliance, the team hasn’t managed to turn things around since their win over Kolkata Knight Riders. Captain Hardik Pandya hasn’t needed to deal with off-field issues this time. In fact, his on-field performances have been pretty good. But he knows that as a team, there are problems. He is trying to avoid hitting the panic button almost halfway through the tournament. In DC vs MI clash, Mumbai will have an opportunity to correct course.
“The conversations in the team has been trying to identify where we’ve made mistakes and get better. We’re not far from the perfect game. We are trying not to hit the panic button, because it doesn’t help. We’re trying to be as calm as possible and back each other as a unit,” Hardik Pandya said at the toss of DC vs MI clash.
Problems aplenty for Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians have problems aplenty this season. But it all starts at the top — Rohit Sharma. Mumbai cha raja has hit a slump with just 38 runs in four innings. Rohit is averaging 9.50. So far, he has only been able to play 29 balls. He has been dismissed in the powerplay every innings.
The poor starts in the powerplays have put the middle-order under pressure. The likes of Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav and Ryan Rickleton at the top have performed sporadically. But what MI have missed is a complete performance from a unit.
Rohit Sharma in IPL 2025
| Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 0 | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 38 | 17 | 9.50 | 29 | 131.03 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
While Hardik Pandya and the coaching staff have backed Rohit to come back strong, it hasn’t happened yet. With 9 matches left and they are reeling at the bottom, Mumbai need to hit the panic button and get things in order fast.
Similarly, the bowling unit is yet to perform as a unit. They missed Jasprit Bumrah’s services in the first three matches. But now that he is back, the pace attack looks sublime. All they need to do is, perform as a unit.
“IPL is a long tournament and it gets tough to catch up. I hope things come well,” Hardik Pandya said.
Furthermore, there have been rumours of discontent in the Mumbai Indians camp. While Hardik seems to have the support of all senior players, playing Rohit Sharma as an impact player has raised questions. He is a World Cup-winning captain, who led MI to five IPL titles. His inputs to Hardik on the field would have definitely helped. However, he has hardly been on the field while MI have been bowling this season.
MI Playing XI vs DC
Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton(w), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah
Impact Subs: Corbin Bosch, Robin Minz, Ashwani Kumar, Raj Bawa, Karn Sharma
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