Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya was undaunted by the reality of defeat and pointed directly to his side’s batting as the reason things went haywire.
“Yes, I felt after losing the early wickets in the power bowl in such a run chase, it’s always going to be difficult. Then we couldn’t deal with it,” Hardik said at the post-match presentation, underscoring how the early phase of the innings set the tone for the rest of the chase.
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For a side chasing big numbers, the power play often dictates intent and direction. However, Mumbai never found that rhythm. The early wickets meant they were constantly playing catch-up, with the pressure building rather than easing as the innings progressed.
Hardik was clear that the conditions were not something he wanted to point to, although there was some help for the bowlers. Instead, he acknowledged the opposition and acknowledged that his side had to be better.
“I wouldn’t say that. I’m not someone who likes to say that. They batted well, they scored 207. It was the same track, it was the same ground, we just should have batted better,” he said.
It was an eloquent remark that reflected both responsibility and clarity. Rather than looking for external factors, Hardik focused on execution.
He also acknowledged the role played by the Chennai bowlers, especially how they adapted to the conditions, but maintained that Mumbai had their chances.
“Yes, they got the ball in their grip. Even our spinners played very well. It is Sanju played an excellent shot. At the same time, their batting continued to shape up and took them to a decent total. I think it was more than a decent sum,” he added.
The difference, as Hardik saw it, was not just the total on the board, but how his team approached the chase. Without a solid start, the task became increasingly difficult and the innings never fully recovered.
“We needed a good power play to get that goal. We just couldn’t do it,” he said.
That inability to build momentum early meant Bombay was always one step behind, unable to put together the kind of partnership needed in a big chase.
Looking ahead, Hardik suggested that the focus will now shift to reassessing and making the necessary adjustments before the next game.
“I think that will be the conversation when we go back to the drawing board. We have to figure out what we have to do. We have a few days and we have to figure out what’s the best thing to do for the team,” he said.
For the Mumbai Indians, what their captain took away was straightforward. There were no surface complaints, no confusion about the outcome. It was how they handled the key moments, especially at the start of the chase, that mattered. And on that front, as Hardik admitted, they simply fell behind.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
24 Apr 2026 02:01 IST
