3 min readUpdated: Apr 13, 2026 11:16 AM IST
Mumbai Indians’ decision to bank on spin against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru who have at least a couple of slow-bowling devourers backfired heavily at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday night. Former India off-spinner R Ashwin slammed Hardik and MI’s tactical decisions to feed spin to RCB skipper Rajat Patidar whose swashbuckling fifty pivoted the game away from MI’s control.
Drafting in Mitchell Santner and leg-spinner Mayank Markande back into the playing XI at the expense of an additional seamer, captain Hardik Pandya opted to bowl first before a mountain of runs buried the hosts to their third straight defeat.
As Patidar – arguably the best batter against spin in the league – walked in to bat at No. 3 in the 11th over, Hardik immediately turned to leggie Markande who was taken to the cleaners. Ashwin slammed the odd decision from the five-time champions, considering Patidar’s prowess against the tweakers. RCB eventually piled on 240 on the back of strong knocks from Phil Salt, Patidar and Tim David before restricting MI to 222 in the chase.
‘Monster hitter’
“Rajat Patidar is a monster hitter against spinner, and when he came into bat, you gave the ball straight to Mayank Markande. We have to understand what is going on in Markande’s mind. He had beaten him to a pulp in Hyderabad, and when Patidar came in, he was given the ball straightaway,”Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Markande conceded 40 in two overs, the margin Ashwin considered the difference between the sides. “Very very very very average, My head started spinning. This was the difference between 210 and 240. MI’s spinners gave 80 runs in six overs,” he added.
Ashwin said that MI are struggling to find their right combinations, despite possessing a strong squad this season, a helpless situation echoed by skipper Hardik post a 22-run defeat.
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“This was an important game for MI, and RCB showed that why they are the defending champions. They had a very tough game against RR, but to bounce back like this, it is not easy. It is a bit surprising to me, MI have a squad, they have really good players, but they are just not able to get it right. It’s not happening for the first time, it has been happening for 2-3 years now,” Ashwin said.
