Former Indian leg-spinner Piyush Chawla has offered insights into the Mumbai Indians' disappointing performance in the IPL 2024. He clearly said that no single player was solely responsible for the team's struggles. Despite appointing Hardik Pandya as the captain, Mumbai Indians, the five-time IPL champions, became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. The Mumbai-based franchise registered a disappointing four wins out of 14 group-stage matches.
Piyush Chawla's on Mumbai Indians' IPL 2024 struggles
Piyush Chawla featured in 11 matches for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2024. The spinner claimed 13 wickets in 11 games at an impressive average of 24.00 and an economy rate of 8.91, with his best bowling figures being 4/22. Chawla's wicket-taking tally placed him second in the team, behind Jasprit Bumrah, who led the team with 20 wickets.
In an interview with the Two Sloggers YouTube channel, Piyush Chawla expressed that Mumbai Indians faced challenges in gaining momentum, which negatively impacted their overall performance. Despite possessing a seemingly formidable lineup, Chawla noted that the team finished in 10th place.
"Well, I won't say anything went wrong. T20 is all about momentum, and we did not get that. It happens sometimes. KKR had momentum, but we did not get it. It is not like one particular player was at fault. When you don't get that momentum, things change here and there. So because of that, I think we kind of lost our way. On paper, we were one of the strongest teams. Looking at that, anyone would wonder how this team came to number 10," Chawla said.
The Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians faced a challenging start to the IPL 2024 season, losing their first three matches. Despite a brief resurgence with back-to-back wins, they were unable to sustain their momentum. In fact, Mumbai won only one of their last seven group-stage matches, ultimately finishing in 10th place. Piyush Chawla dismissed the notion that any individual player was solely responsible for the team's struggles. He attributed their poor performance to a lack of luck, suggesting that the matches could have swung in their favor with different circumstances.
"It was not particularly due to a player's fault. Luck was also two to three feet away from us. Those shots, which would have gone for six on any given day, went into the fielder's hands. When we bowled, those half-chances would go for a six," Chawla explained.
MI last tasted success in the 2021 season. They have faced a disappointing run in recent years, failing to qualify for the playoffs in three of the last four editions. The team is eager to regain its former glory and will be looking to make a strong comeback in the IPL 2025 season. To achieve this, MI are expected to undergo a significant overhaul during the IPL 2025 mega auction. The franchise will likely make strategic player acquisitions to bolster their squad and improve their chances of success in the upcoming tournament.
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