The Mumbai Indians‘ loss to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) resulted in the Mumbai Indians, a five-time IPL champion, being officially eliminated from playoff contention, marking the first time this has occurred. Reports suggest that concerns have been raised by senior members of the team regarding the captaincy style of Hardik Pandya, which they feel has led to a decline in team morale throughout the IPL season.
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After a recent defeat, senior players such as Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Suryakumar Yadav held a meeting to address the perceived underlying issues. Individual discussions were also conducted to identify and address the problems, as reported by the Indian Express.
Under Rohit Sharma’s leadership for the past decade, the Mumbai Indians have experienced a significant transition with a new captain, which has inevitably caused some disruption within the team.
MI Senior Players Unhappy?
According to a Mumbai Indian official, the team’s struggles this season can be attributed to the expected challenges that come with such a transitional phase. The official explained, “These are regular teething problems for a team that sees leadership change. This happens in sports all the time.”
Following the defeat against the Delhi Capitals, Hardik Pandya expressed his belief that Tilak Varma could have targeted Axar Patel more effectively and cited game awareness as a factor contributing to the loss. However, this statement did not sit well with the team, especially considering Varma’s commendable performance of scoring 63 runs off 32 deliveries in that match and being the top scorer for the team this season.
Currently positioned in ninth place in the points table, the Mumbai Indians have played one more game than the Gujarat Titans. With their playoff hopes dashed for this season, the management must address any existing issues before the next season to maximize their chances of securing their sixth IPL trophy.
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