They've found clarity: Sanjay Manjrekar on Mumbai Indians' late-season surge

New Delhi May 18: After a shaky start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign, Mumbai Indians (MI) have stormed back into playoff contention with a series of convincing performances, and according to former India cricketer and JioStar expert Sanjay Manjrekar, the five-time champions have rediscovered their identity at just the right time.

Speaking on Mumbai's turnaround, Manjrekar said on JioHotstar, "I'm not sure their campaign will be derailed, even with a few overseas players like Ryan Rickelton and Will Jacks potentially unavailable for key games. They've managed to slot players into the right roles. At the start, they looked a bit unsure, but now they seem to have clarity."

A major reason for MI's resurgence has been the blistering form of Suryakumar Yadav. The dynamic right-hander currently leads the race for the Orange Cap with 510 runs in 12 matches, including three half-centuries, and has been instrumental in guiding MI through tight situations.

Suryakumar Yadav is having one of his best IPL seasons, Manjrekar noted, underlining his impact at the top of the order.

Manjrekar also highlighted the franchise's ability to thrive under pressure, thanks to a core group of seasoned performers.

"And when it comes to high-pressure situations, MI have players who thrive - Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and even Rohit Sharma, despite his recent form. That's why they've been serial winners. Like CSK had Shane Watson or Mike Hussey come up big in critical moments, MI have their own match-winners. It's this knack for rising to the occasion that makes them such a dangerous side," he added.

With seven wins and five losses from 12 matches, Mumbai Indians currently sit in fourth place on the points table with 14 points. They are set to face Delhi Capitals (DC) on Wednesday in what could be a decisive encounter in their push for the playoffs.

As the business end of the tournament approaches, MI's mix of experience, clarity in roles, and star performers in top form make them one of the teams to watch, once again proving why they are perennial contenders in the IPL.

Reader Comments

R

Rahul K.

MI always does this! Slow start and then peak at the right time. That's why they're 5-time champions. Surya is just unstoppable this season 🔥 Hope they can carry this momentum into the playoffs!

P

Priya M.

While MI's comeback is impressive, I still think the Hardik captaincy experiment hasn't worked well. The team looks better when Rohit takes charge on the field. Just my observation from watching all their matches.

A

Arjun S.

SKY is playing like a dream! 510 runs already 😍 That no-look six against SRH was pure magic. If he continues like this, India's middle order for T20 WC looks sorted.

N

Neha T.

MI's real strength is their scouting. Even when main players are unavailable, they find perfect replacements. Remember how they discovered Bumrah and Hardik years ago? That's proper vision!

V

Vikram J.

Manjrekar is right about their big-match players. But I'm worried about Bumrah's workload. He's bowling too many overs in crunch situations. Need to manage him carefully before WC.

S

Sunita R.

As a die-hard MI fan from Mumbai, this turnaround gives me so much joy! Wankhede will be electric for the remaining matches. Hope we get to see that famous MI blue flag flying high in the finals again 💙

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.