We witnessed a last-ball thriller at Raipur between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and after the pendulum swung from one team to another, it was RCB who held their nerves to eke out a 2-wicket win off the last ball of the match. MI had their moments and chances, but they fell short when the game was on the line and missed out on the minute details. It was heartbreak for them as MI became the second team to be officially eliminated from the tournament after LSG, while RCB went to the top of the points table, snapping a 2-game losing streak. We will try to find the reasons for MI’s loss in this contest.
Continuous underperformance of Suryakumar Yadav is a matter of grave concern for MI
MI were asked to bat first, and they lost Ryan Rickelton early for a change. Rohit Sharma got a start and played some delightful shots to entertain the crowd at the Raipur ground. But soon, he was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar after he got a start. The big talking point has to be the form, or lack of it, of Suryakumar Yadav. Surya had to lead the side last night as well, with Hardik Pandya ruled out due to a back spasm, and it was a golden opportunity for Surya to lead from the front.
But Surya leading from the front has seldom happened from 2025 onwards, as he has been a continuous failure whether playing for MI or for India. The runs have dried up. Yes, once in a while he gets a big one, but that is few and far between. Last night, after Rohit got out, it was a golden opportunity for Surya to strike form and lead from the front. But that did not happen as Surya came and went within the blink of an eye for a golden duck as the outside edge carried to Virat Kohli at first slip, who took a good catch.
Surya has flattered to deceive in this tournament as he averages 20-22 and a strike-rate of 115-120, which is way below par. Surya has got two options now. Either take a break and be away from the game, or continue playing and rediscover his form. He looks absolutely cooked and tired when we see him in the field. Surya, unfortunately, has become a non-performing asset for the team and must improve by leaps and bounds to salvage himself and the season somewhat.
Inability to stop Krunal Pandya’s magical batting hampered MI
After posting 166 on the board, MI came out all guns blazing as they removed Virat Kohli for a golden duck, while Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal made 12 off 11 balls, and Rajat Patidar made only 8 runs. The Challengers were reduced to 39/3 inside the power play when Krunal Pandya, the crisis man, was sent to rescue RCB. MI was there for the fight as they removed the other batters without any issue. But they couldn’t dismiss Krunal, who played the innings of the match.
Last night in Raipur, there was one batter who was a cut above the rest. Krunal Pandya was just terrific and played an outstanding innings. He has been the man for all seasons for RCB. Before, he used to be that for MI, but now, against his former franchise, he was here to make amends. Krunal looked in total control as he applied himself against MI’s disciplined bowling. MI did nothing really wrong, but lacked the right strategy against him. If they were more incisive, then he would have been dismissed, and RCB would have lost the game.
So, MI needs to have a little bit of planning and incisiveness when the next time they come up against Krunal Pandya next time. The bowlers need to plan better and execute the plans out there. They tried, but were found to be short in the end. It was a great game, in which no one would have known how MI lost the game towards the end. But had they gotten rid of Krunal, they may have won the game.
Tactical errors by the team management cost them in a tight finish
There were some tactical errors made by the Mumbai Indians (MI) management that could come back to bite them should it be a close game. As it turned out, it was a thriller, and every move mattered more than anything. MI, known for its tactical astuteness, once again faltered, not for the first time this season but for the umpteenth time. For starters, the wrong usage of bowlers at times. Using Allah Ghazanfar quite late in the piece, with the batters set, did not make any sense.
Thereafter, when there is an option of the Impact Player, and it is taken, that player should be used. MI at the start of the second innings subbed out Rohit Sharma and brought in Raghu Sharma, the leg spinner. The Impact Player should ideally make an impact for the team and in the game. What MI did was not to use him for a single over, which baffled many experts. If he is there only to field, then why use an impact substitute if one is not going to use it? So, we feel Surya and the team management made a big error with the Impact Player thing.
Then the usage of bowlers was interesting to see. With the match in the balance, Raj Angad Bawa was given the ball to the well-set Krunal Pandya and Jitesh Sharma, and the pressure that was created on the batting side was released. A big overcame, and that should have been the indication, not to use him anymore. But with 15 needed off the final over, Bawa got the ball ahead of Ghazanfar, who had an over left as Surya opted for a fast bowler rather than a spinner for the final over.
Bawa bowled wide and a no-ball, and many extras under pressure. Shepherd got out, but Bhuvneshwar came in and, after facing another wide ball, struck the hammer blow with 9 needed off 3 balls with a carve over deep covers for the maximum to literally seal it, before scampering back for a brace to win the contest. It was a game of fine margins, and tactical errors cost MI the match, with Surya making errors on the field, and team management making corrections off it.
What Lies Ahead
So, RCB, with this win, jumps to the top of the points table with 14 points in 11 games, while MI loses another game and is officially out of the playoff race with 3 games to go, which they should play with a nothing-to-lose attitude. RCB next faces KKR in Raipur, while MI faces PBKS next in Dharamsala. Tonight, we are in Dharamsala to witness the North Indian Derby between PBKS and DC.
Let’s see how things unfold between the two teams later tonight.
Also Read: RCB VS MI: Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 4-Wicket Haul & Blinder Helps RCB Clinch Thriller