Why are Mumbai Indians struggling

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In a surprisingly one-sided match, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) crush defending champions Mumbai Indians by 54 runs to get back to winning ways. With the win, RCB now has 12 points from 10 matches and is at 3rd place in the IPL Points Table, while MI has slipped down to 7th position with 8 points from 10 matches.

However, one alarming thing is that the hammering to RCB was Mumbai’s third defeat in UAE on the trot as the defending champions are looking less likely to make it to the play-offs. MI are at the 7th spot on the 8-team table with 8 points from 10 matches and need to win all their remaining matches to stand a chance of making it to the play-offs. This is also the first time RCB have scored a double over MI in a season in IPL.

But the IPL 2021 has been unusually quiet for the defending champions and indeed some of their key components just like the Pandya brothers. Another alarming situation is the fact that most of the players from Mumbai Indians are part of the Indian cricket team selected to represent India at the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled to take place from Oct 19.

Bumrah single-handedly put brakes on the run-scoring with the wickets of Maxwell and de Villiers on consecutive deliveries in the 19th over. But MI’s innings fell off the rail once Quinton de Kock got out after a 57-run opening stand with Rohit Sharma, who was caught in deep when the total was 79. MI’s middle-order, one which was their strength last season, has been disappointing throughout this season.

Mumbai Indians: Struggling for form

Apart from Pollard, Bumrah and the Pandya brothers, the likes of Ishan Kishan and Rahul Chahar were the surprise packages for Rohit Sharma’s charges last term. They banked on the duo to provide them with impetus every time they were in trouble.

Fast forward to this season, Ishan Kishan has struggled for runs big time in last 4-5 months. His performance in IPL 2021 is nothing less than diabolic. Sample this – In 8 Innings for MI – Ishan Kishan has just scored 107 runs. His average is 13.37 and his highest score is 28. The most worrying factor is his strike rate, going at just 86.99.
Rahul Chahar is another Mumbai Indians players whose form has nosedived after selection to India’s T20 World Cup squad. While the likes of Ishan Kishan and Suuryakumar Yadav have been struggling for form with the bat, Rahul has picked up only 1 wicket in 3 matches in the UAE after a fine outing in the first leg of IPL 2021.

In India, Rahul had picked up 11 wickets from just 7 matches and did well in India’s tour of Sri Lanka as well. The young leg-spinner picked up 7 wickets in 3 T20Is following which he earned a place in the T20 World Cup squad.

Bumrah single-handedly put brakes on the run-scoring with the wickets of Maxwell and de Villiers on consecutive deliveries in the 19th over on Sunday.

But MI’s innings fell off the rail once Quinton de Kock got out after a 57-run opening stand with Rohit Sharma, who was caught in deep when the total was 79. MI’s middle-order, one which was their strength last season, has been disappointing throughout this season. MI are next scheduled to lock horns with Punjab Kings, led by KL Rahul, on Tuesday, September 28 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.