New Delhi: Mumbai Indians were eliminated from the Indian Premier League for the second time this season after a nail-biting, last-over defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday. The loss condemns MI to trophy-less football for the sixth straight campaign — the longest title drought in the franchise’s history — and also means they will miss the playoffs for the fourth time since 2022.
It has been a sharp slide for the five-time champions since their back-to-back triumphs in 2019 and 2020. With the season slipping away, MI now face the immediate task of getting their setup right ahead of the reset the squad clearly needs. Earlier reports this month pointed to an environment in the dressing room that did not look ideal, while uneven displays from key performers have only compounded the problems.
There were flashes of quality that briefly lifted expectations. Ryan Rickelton’s big-hitting at the top, Rohit Sharma’s early impact, Tilak Varma’s two contributions with the bat, and Corbin Bosch’s efforts with the ball gave the team reasons to believe. However, inconsistency remained the biggest drag, and the side could not sustain momentum across matches. Hardik Pandya has struggled to find his best form in both departments and has appeared checked out at times during his spells in the middle. With the tournament essentially beyond reach, Mumbai must now make the most of their remaining games against Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rajasthan Royals.
With Suryakumar Yadav under pressure after a prolonged lean run, the question of whether MI should give a younger option a chance in the XI has grown louder. The right-hander has managed 195 runs in 11 appearances. Tilak Varma did show fight with a half-century against RCB, but the left-hander’s overall output has been uneven, finishing with 261 runs from 11 matches. In that tally, 158 runs came in just two innings, while the other nine knocks produced only 103 runs in total.
Jasprit Bumrah has taken plenty of criticism for the low wicket count, but the reality is that he has bowled with real intensity and effort despite limited backing from the other end. As the campaign winds down, MI must now do the bowler a favour by allowing him to rest for the final three matches, which are effectively inconsequential for the standings.
Another bigger selection debate is also looming: should MI use the remaining fixtures to evaluate players who have been waiting on the bench, and provide a breather to senior performers who have not delivered consistently? Head coach Mahela Jayawardene does not appear ready to make major changes to the current group and continues to back the “core” of the squad.
“They’re also trying to do their best. If I knew that it was something to do with that, I would have spoken to them. But the commitment and effort they’re putting in is unbelievable. So I was quite determined. With Ro getting injured and coming back to bat the way he did, it sums it up. I mean, the core group is quite valuable for us. You can’t just keep changing,” Jayawardene said after MI’s elimination.
He added: “We went with the trust and confidence we had in them. And then it is what it is. Like I said, it’s difficult for me to go beyond that. They had a really good World Cup, winning it and all that. So I think it’s just that, as a unit, we haven’t been good enough.”
MI are certainly not accustomed to finding themselves in this kind of situation, and the immediate challenge now is to avoid yet another finish outside the top positions — specifically, a potential repeat of a tenth-place standing. Without meaningful adjustments, another wooden-spoon outcome in the last five seasons is still very much in play.
