Mumbai, April 24 (IANS) After Mumbai Indians’ (IANS) thumping 103-run defeat against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), head coach Mahela Jayawardene admitted that his side have done well in patches but there is hole in MI’s bowling and stressed the importance of regrouping, learning and coming back with positive intent.

Ridding on Sanju Samson’s (101 not out), laced with 10 fours and six sixes, CSK 207/6. In reply, MI never got going, as the hosts kept losing wickets at regular intervals, and were shot out for just 104 in 19 overs. Akeal Hosein was outstanding for CSK, registering figures of 4-17.

“We have managed just four points from seven matches. Disappointed to have lost this game. We lost our rhythm in the two powerplays itself, first with the ball and then with the bat. We have a break now, we will think and discuss what we need to do in the next seven games.

“Here too, we bowled well in patches but when 20-plus extra runs are given away, it is difficult to claw back into the game. As a team we all have to improve,” Jayawardene said in a post match presser.

“If you analyse the seven games, yes, there was a hole in our bowling and we got some fresh faces in there. The win against Gujarat Titans in] Ahmedabad looked good. Again, here, I thought in patches we bowled well. It is just execution-wise, consistency-wise, I think we are one of the teams that has given the highest number of big overs – 18-plus overs, if you look at the half-season,” he¹ added.

MII fell short in the powerplay, both with ball and bat. They scored their lowest powerplay total against CSK in the IPL on a day when their opponents had scored their second-highest total in that phase against them.

“Once you lose a match like that, it’s difficult to even analyse it. But probably where we lost both the powerplays with the ball and with the bat, we just couldn’t get to the game. We had a great game in Ahmedabad, I thought we found some rhythm, but again, we lost that rhythm.

“I don’t think the wicket played badly, probably it stayed the same. Once you are 7 [11] for 3, you are always going to get pulled back. They had the upper hand from that point. But overall, we have to be better. We got blown away, but we need to move on and see the good things we have done and be consistent in those areas,” Jayawardene said.

With two wins in seven matches, MI are hanging in the bottom half of the points table, and now have a five-day break to regroup when they host Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 29.

–IANS

bc/