Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene didn’t mince words after their fourth loss in five matches in IPL 2025. A 12-run defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has left the five-time champions in a tough spot, with Jayawardene pointing to poor powerplay performances — both while batting and bowling — as the root of their problems.
“We’re not hitting our strides and that is a concern,” Jayawardene said after the match. “Powerplay is a concern for us — leaking runs with the ball and not capitalising with the bat.”
Despite an early breakthrough from Trent Boult, MI couldn’t maintain pressure. RCB powered to 73 for 1 in the powerplay, largely thanks to a 20-run over from Deepak Chahar. MI now hold the worst economy rate in the powerplay this season (10.36) and have picked just six wickets during that phase.
Jayawardene admitted, “We started well with the bat but lost momentum after losing quick wickets. We weren’t really in the game in those first ten overs.”
MI sit eighth on the table with just one win so far, but the coach isn’t panicking. He continues to back his senior players, calling for discipline and a ruthless attitude.
“I still believe in the experienced guys. Bringing in new faces without experience in tough situations might not help,” he said. “It’s just about staying focused and not letting small moments slip.”
In a spirited late-innings fightback, captain Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma stitched an explosive 89-run stand in just 34 balls. Hardik smashed 32 off 7 balls during one stretch, reviving hopes briefly.
Jayawardene said this is the kind of aggression they need consistently. “We were close, but not quite there. The emotions were high, but we have to be realistic — we’re not playing our best cricket yet.”
On Rohit Sharma’s repeated dismissals in the powerplay — this time bowled by a swinging delivery from Yash Dayal — Jayawardene brushed off concerns, attributing it to the natural challenge right-handers face against left-arm seamers.
“It was a good ball. Rohit is working hard, and he’s an experienced player. Sometimes, you’ve got to credit the bowler,” he concluded.
With MI still searching for form and consistency, the message from the coach is clear — there’s still belief, but the clock is ticking.
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