'We haven't played good cricket': Jayawardene on MI's poor run
What's the story
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene was left speechless after his team's crushing defeat against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match on Thursday. The five-time champions have had a dismal run this season, winning only two out of seven matches. They are currently languishing at the eighth spot in the points table.
Admission
Inconsistency haunts Mumbai Indians
After the heavy defeat, Jayawardene admitted that his team has been unable to deliver consistent performances. He said this inconsistency is the main reason why they are struggling at the bottom half of the points table. In their match against CSK, Mumbai Indians were bowled out for just 104 runs while chasing a target of 208.
Issues
Key takeaways from the match for Jayawardene
Jayawardene stressed that the two power plays where they lost both with bat and ball were crucial in their defeat. He said, "The reality is that four points after seven games, honestly, we haven't played good cricket. It's been in patches." The coach also pointed out a major gap in Mumbai Indians's bowling attack in previous games.
Improvement
Bowling attack major concern for MI
Jayawardene said, "If you analyze the seven games, yes, there was a hole in our bowling and we got some fresh faces in there." He stressed that consistency is key to avoid giving away too many runs. The coach also acknowledged that their batting has been good but not consistent enough as a team.
Upcoming game
MI have a week to regroup
Mumbai Indians will now take a seven-day break before facing Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 29. Jayawardene said this break will give them time to think about their strategy for the remaining matches of the season. He added, "We know exactly what we need to do. And we'll plan and put our best foot out."