Mumbai Indians (MI) batting coach Kieron Pollard remains optimistic about the early arrival of England all-rounder Will Jacks ahead of their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
In the pre-match press conference, Pollard dismissed concerns about Jacks’ fitness, saying that team management had not been informed of any such issues. He also highlighted the depth of MI’s squad, suggesting the side is well equipped even in Jacks’ temporary absence.
“We’re expecting Will Jacks very soon. As you alluded to fitness issues, as far as I know, I don’t know anything about that. We’re a 20-plus team. And he’s not here at the moment. But we’ll be here soon,” Pollard said.
Pollard backed the Englishman to deliver on his return and highlighted Jacks’ ability to contribute across the departments.
“And hopefully when he’s here as well, his economy will be low, he’ll get wickets and he’ll score just for you,” he added.
Pollard also backed Jasprit Bumrah, who faced scrutiny after a quiet outing against Rajasthan Royals. He pointed out that the changing nature of T20 cricket places more and more emphasis on control rather than just the wicket.
“When you look at T20 cricket now, the way it’s going, you can’t really think too much about wickets. When you watch even the game that’s being played, the powerplay has gone on for over 100 runs. So again, sometimes the best form of offense is also defence. And, you know, we don’t look too much at the wicketless world, the timeless Jaspri world. And again, you know, for India and also for Mumbai Indians, and again, when the time comes to get wickets, if not, and it is economical, we will take it as well,” Pollard said.
Looking ahead to the contest against RCB, Pollard emphasized that every IPL fixture is of equal importance, with the focus on securing points rather than latching on to the opposition’s strengths.
“As far as RCB is concerned, for me I think this is the IPL. All competitions are spicy. All competitions are ones you look forward to. Because the main thing is two points in the game. So for us, we don’t look at the opposition too much. We just try to go out and play as much good cricket as possible. And hopefully at the end of the day, there will be a result, you know,” he added.
Pollard also paid tribute to Rohit Sharma, who recently completed 15 years with the franchise, describing the milestone as a rare feat in modern cricket.
“Rohit Sharma, yes, he’s celebrated 15 years, you know, as a Mumbai Indian player. That’s an achievement, you know, for him. Or for any individual. Two, because it’s one franchise for 15 years, not many people can say that. Fortunately, I can say that. But he’s been a great leader for us, you know, over time. He’s been a great leader, as I told you, for a long time. May it continue for him and we’ll continue to reap the fruits of his success, and like I said, we’re happy to have him in the dressing room,” Pollard said.
