Blame Game In Mumbai Indians Camp After Defeat Against RCB, Head Coach Mahela Jayawardene Says THIS After MI's 4th Defeat In IPL 2025

Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene blamed repeated powerplay failures and lack of ruthlessness for the team’s fourth loss in IPL 2025, urging experienced players to step up before it's too late.

The mood in the Mumbai Indians (MI) camp is anything but upbeat following their fourth defeat in five matches in the ongoing IPL 2025 season. A 12-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Wankhede has not only plunged MI to eighth on the points table but also exposed glaring tactical and execution flaws — especially in the powerplay phases. MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene didn’t mince his words in the post-match press conference, expressing deep concern over his team’s repeated failings with both bat and ball in the opening six overs. "The powerplay is a concern for us — we’re leaking too many runs early and not capitalising when we bat," he said, urging his side to be more “ruthless” and avoid "losing discipline."

RCB’s Explosive Start Overpowers MI’s Early Breakthrough

Despite Trent Boult giving MI the perfect start — claiming his record 31st first-over wicket in IPL history — the hosts couldn’t sustain the pressure. A brutal 20-run over from Deepak Chahar allowed RCB to snatch the momentum. Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal went on the offensive, powering their side to 73/1 at the end of the powerplay — the second-highest score in that phase against MI at the Wankhede.

Statistically, MI have been the most expensive bowling unit in the powerplay this season, conceding runs at 10.36 per over while managing only six wickets in five matches. It’s a trend that’s fast becoming their Achilles’ heel.

Batting Collapse Undermines Chase of 222 Despite Hardik-Tilak Heroics

In response, Mumbai’s top order again failed to deliver under pressure. Rohit Sharma, whose powerplay struggles have become a pattern, fell for just 17, bowled by a sharp Yash Dayal inswinger. MI stumbled to 54/2 by the end of the powerplay, continuing a worrying trend — they've now lost 10 wickets in the first six overs this season, second only to Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Yet, there was a flicker of hope when skipper Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma unleashed a furious counterattack. Their 89-run partnership off just 34 balls briefly swung the game back into MI’s favour. Hardik was especially lethal, smashing Hazlewood and Krunal Pandya for a flurry of sixes and racing to 32 off just seven balls.

“We were close, but not good enough,” Jayawardene admitted. “Once we reached the 10-12 over mark, we knew we had a shot. Hardik responded well, Tilak followed. But those early phases cost us again.”

Jayawardene Backs Senior Players Amid Growing Pressure

Despite the underwhelming performances, Jayawardene stood by his senior players, especially Rohit Sharma. Since IPL 2023, Rohit has been dismissed 22 times in the powerplay — the most by any batter. Although his powerplay strike rate has improved from 130.72 to 151.97 this season, his average has dipped to 27.90, hinting at high risk but low reward.

"For right-handed batsmen, left-armers swinging it in is a natural challenge," Jayawardene explained. “Dayal bowled a good ball. Rohit’s been practising hard — he’ll bounce back.”