Hardik Pandya said Mumbai Indians must look inward, then move forward – they came up short against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a clear defeat Sunday. Falling behind early has become a pattern; trying to chase instead of leading only tightens the pressure. Set 240 for four thanks to strong hits by Phil Salt, Virat Kohli and captain Rajat Patidar, all past fifty, the target felt steep. In reply, Mumbai reached 222 for five, close but not enough. Sherfane Rutherford lit parts of the innings with 71 not out from just 31 deliveries, sharp and sudden. Still, fire at one end could not mask slow burns elsewhere.
“I think we conceded way too many (runs) as well. I think that was always going to be catch-up. I think in the last couple of games, as a bowling unit or even as a batting unit, we’ve been catching up in the game rather than leading the game,” said Pandya after MI’s third loss of the season, which saw them slump to eighth on the points table.
Third spot stayed with RCB after they won three of their first four games.
It became clear to him the strategy wasn’t holding up, so a fresh approach had to come fast.
“We have a couple of days off from here… To be very honest, now a lot of things need to be rethought. Definitely, it’s not working. A couple of games we have won the toss, but maybe we need to see what other options we have as a batting group or bowling group,” he said.
Batting and bowling must get better, he said – especially during the early overs. Focus should shift more toward how teams start their innings. Improvement is needed across both departments. The beginning of each inning demands sharper execution.
Weather on the pitch matters. Should our batting hold up, things could go smoothly. Staying sharp in play makes a difference. Solid runs help, yet clean bowling counts just as much. Toss aside, performance shapes outcome. When both skills show up, results often follow.
This is our current focus – finding ways to build speed early on. Notice how, whether hitting or fielding, we seem stuck playing catch-up right from the start.
“A lot of options will be asked and explored. We will see what we can do in the next game.” Pandya said Rutherford’s innings gave him the flexibility to tweak the lineup.
Excitement filled the air each time Rutherford joined us. From the start, his strength and what he could become were clear.
“The way he batted gives us extra cushion and at the same time confidence that if we want to make some changes or see what the team requires, we can definitely do that because of the way he’s batting,” said Pandya.
Right off the bat, RCB captain Patidar pointed out how Kohli and Salt charging hard upfront shifted momentum early. Starting strong made all the difference, he noted, setting the pace right away. Momentum swung their way fast because of that explosive opening. It gave the side room to breathe, play freely from the first overs. The pressure lifted quickly thanks to those quick runs at the top.
Starting strong with Virat bhai and Salt gave us an edge early on. A solid burst from me along with Tim David lifted the momentum further. That push came down to everyone chipping in at the right time.
“To be honest, people used to say that I love playing spin, but if someone asks me, I would say I love playing pace. And playing pace on this track, I think it’s a very good track to play a fast bowler. So I think I love fast bowling,” added Patidar.
