Zaheer Khan has called on Mumbai Indians’ top order to rediscover the ability to turn quick starts into substantial scores after the franchise suffered an 18-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In the contest, Mumbai were chasing 241 and began with promise as Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma gave the innings an encouraging start. But the momentum shifted after the fifth over when Rohit retired hurt following a hamstring problem. At the time of his departure, the MI captain had made 19 from 12 deliveries, cutting short what could have been a more influential knock.
Rickelton too failed to carry his early momentum forward, falling in the eighth over. He was dismissed for 37 off 22 balls, leaving Mumbai to search for stability in the middle overs. Suryakumar Yadav offered another bright spell after that, reaching a strong position early in his stint, only to depart in the 13th over for 33 off 22 deliveries. Despite a late fightback from Sherfane Rutherford, who struck an unbeaten 71, Mumbai Indians were unable to finish the chase and ended on 222/5 in 20 overs.
Speaking about the batting concerns, Zaheer emphasised that MI were repeatedly getting starts but not converting them into match-defining innings. He highlighted that this is an issue the team will need to address quickly, particularly in a format where one big score can swing the game decisively. In his view, the side’s batting is capable of producing impactful contributions, but the consistency of finishing those starts has been lacking in the current pattern of performances.
Zaheer also pointed to the specific responsibility of key batters—Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Rohit Sharma and Rickelton—to deliver one meaningful, large fifty that can anchor the innings and set the tone for the late overs. He explained that if one of them can reach a 60 or 70, the complexion of the match changes because the batting unit can rally behind the batter in form. He further argued that the role of the top order is to build the platform, after which the strike-rate naturally improves once the pressure builds on the opposition bowlers.
With Rohit’s injury creating an additional challenge, Zaheer suggested that Naman Dhir could be considered to open if the MI captain is unavailable. He noted that the team has a few pathways, with Dhir capable of taking the opening slot in Rohit’s absence. Zaheer also indicated that, beyond Dhir and Suryakumar’s potential to fill the role, other options would require careful balance adjustments. He mentioned the possibility of Quinton de Kock as a route that could change the team’s structure again, depending on how the management wants the lineup to look.
On the other side, Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted 240/4 in their 20 overs, largely steered by half-centuries from Phil Salt (78), Rajat Patidar (53) and Virat Kohli (50). Kohli, however, also picked up a injury during the first innings, adding another layer of concern for RCB as they manage both performance and player fitness after the match.
