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Following Mumbai Indians' (MI) high-octane defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), MI skipper Hardik Pandya offered a candid explanation for his side’s tactical shifts and batting collapse. The match, played at the Wankhede Stadium, saw RCB set a formidable target of 222 runs, and while MI launched a strong counterattack led by Tilak Varma and Pandya himself, they ultimately fell short. In the post-match presentation, Hardik didn’t mince words. “It was a run-fest. The wicket was really good. I was just talking to myself that again we fell short by two hits,” he remarked. “It came down to execution. I don’t want to be harsh on the bowlers; it was a tough track.”

One of the key talking points of the game was the batting position of Naman Dhir, who had impressed in the previous match with a 46-run knock at No. 3. However, against RCB, he was pushed down to No. 7. Pandya addressed the criticism directly, citing Rohit Sharma’s return to the playing XI as the reason behind the batting reshuffle. “Once Ro was back, we knew that Naman would have to come down. It’s just that in the last game, Ro wasn’t available, so we had to push someone up. Naman is someone who can bat up or at the death,” Pandya clarified. Rohit Sharma, who had missed the previous match against Lucknow Super Giants, returned as an Impact Player in this fixture. Opening the innings, he scored 17 runs off just 9 balls, striking at a blistering 188.89 with two fours and a six. However, his brief cameo wasn’t enough to give MI the momentum they needed early in the chase.

Pandya also praised Tilak Varma, who played through discomfort from a previous injury. “Tilak was fantastic. People said a lot about the last game, but they don’t know he took a nasty hit the previous day. It was a tactical call based on his condition.” Reflecting on the game’s turning points, Pandya stressed the importance of the powerplay phase. “In this sort of game, powerplays are very crucial. We were not able to get going in the middle, and that put us back in the chase. It comes down to execution in the death – we were not able to play those balls.”

Another significant development in the game was the return of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, playing his first IPL 2025 match. Though he didn’t take a wicket, Bumrah bowled economically, giving away 29 runs in four overs at an economy of 7.20. Pandya expressed confidence in Bumrah’s impact moving forward. “Having him makes any team in the world very special. He came in and did his job; we were very happy to have him.” Despite the setback, Pandya urged his team and fans to stay optimistic. “In life, never back down. Always see the positive side of it. Go out there, try to play the best cricket of your life and back yourself.”

With this loss, Mumbai Indians now face a pressing need to reassess their team combinations and strategic approach, especially as the tournament heads into its crucial middle stages. For RCB, the win marks their first-ever victory over MI at Wankhede, following up on their historic triumph over CSK at Chepauk earlier this season. As the IPL 2025 season intensifies, Mumbai Indians will need a strong comeback to stay in contention for the playoffs, with every match from hereon becoming a must-win in what promises to be one of the most competitive editions yet.