IPL 2021: Failure of Top and Middle Order Hurting MI Badly in IPL 2021

Mumbai Indians haven’t been near their dominating best in IPL 2021. Another disappointing performance with the bat meant that the two-time defending champions suffered their second defeat in four matches going down by 6 wickets to Delhi Capitals. A mediocre effort from the batting unit has been the bane of the five-time champions this season. The credit for their two wins solely goes to their bowlers who defended below-par targets in the 150s.

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A strong all-round show from the top order, firepower in the middle order and quality fast bowling were the reasons for MI’s success both in IPL 2019 and 2020. While the bowling has lived up to its billing this season too, the batting is a cause of concern for the franchise.

Mr Consistent, Quinton de Kock, who amassed more than 500 runs in IPL 2020, has failed twice in the three matches thus far. Rohit Sharma has got starts in all the three matches but has failed to convert them into a match -defining innings. Ishan Kishan, who was the star and the surprise package for MI in the UAE top-scoring for the franchise at a strike rate of almost 146, has been a patch of the batsman he was in the last edition. He has just managed to aggregate 67 runs in 4 innings at a strike rate of 94.36 with a highest score of 28 in IPL 2021.

The biggest disappointment for MI, however, has been the performance with the bat of their two X-factors in the middle-order – Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya. One of the major reasons for MI’s triumph both in IPL 2020 and IPL 2019 was the firepower provided by the two Ps in the latter stages of the middle overs and at the death. They produced one cameo after the other converting a par score to a match-winning one while setting a target and no opposition total was safe while either of the two were at the crease in a chase.

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Six of the 10 highest strike rate innings (min. runs 25) for MI in IPL 2019 came off the blade of Hardik – all at a strike rate of 200 or more. He blasted 402 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 191.42 in the tournament. Only Andre Russell had a higher rate of scoring in the edition. Pollard also chipped in with 279 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of almost 157.

The roles were somewhat reversed in the next edition. Pollard scored 268 runs at a strike rate of 191.42 – the highest in the edition while Hardik followed with 281 runs at a strike rate of almost 179. Four of the 7 highest strike rate innings for MI in the season were produced by Pollard – the other three by Hardik.

Surprisingly, both the batsmen have struggled in IPL 2021. Hardik has failed in all the four matches he has batted in the competition – 13 off 10 deliveries, 15 off 17 deliveries, 7 off 5 deliveries and a golden duck – these have been his returns in the tournament. Neither has he managed to score substantially nor provided the team with even a single cameo.

Pollard scored 35 off 22 deliveries against the Sunrisers but his other numbers – 7 off 9 deliveries, 5 of 8 deliveries and 2 off 5 deliveries make for very poor reading! This basically means that Pollard and Hardik have collectively failed in 7 of the 8 innings they have batted in the tournament. As a result, MI has not got the flourish at the death and has posted sub-par totals batting first in each of the four matches they have played so far in the competition – these include three scores in the 150s and 137 against the Capitals.

Contrast this to the first four matches they played in IPL 2020. They put up a total of 162, 195, 201 and 191 in these matches. Pollard smashed 60 off 24 deliveries against RCB in Dubai while hammering 47 off 20 deliveries against the Punjab Kings in Abu Dhabi. In the same match, Hardik blasted 30 off just 11 deliveries.

MI need to rectify and sort out their batting if they are to replicate the success of the previous two editions. Maybe they need to send Kishan at the top of the order and bat Hardik at number 4. De Kock can bat as effectively in the middle order with Pollard coming at the death.

The defending champions need their batting to fire and soon if they do not want to lag behind in the leaderboard table.​

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• Hardik Pandya
• ipl
• IPL 2021
• Ishan Kishan
• kieron pollard
• MI
• Mumbai Indians
• Quinton de Kock
• rohit sharma