Mahela said the problem of slow starts had been addressed © IPL

Half-way through the tournament, Mumbai Indians find themselves with five wins to their credit — and a place at the top of the points table (which was later usurped by Delhi Capitals after their eighth match). Only twice in all these years have they had a better start to an IPL season. It’s almost an alien territory for Mumbai Indians to be in. Mahela Jayawardene, the team’s head coach, said that this was a problem identified, addressed and worked upon coming into the 2020 season.

“As a coach, you will never be at ease in such a tournament,” Jayawardene admitted despite his side getting off to a good start. “But it [the issue of starting slow] was something we were conscious about at the start of the tournament, where we always start slow and then we claw our way into the tournament. So it was something we spoke about.

“We knew the guys going into the tournament were in good form, they had prepared well but it’s all about getting into that awareness, the intelligence for the situations out there. Trying to get them to understand the situations quickly enough and adapt, that’s where we came back strongly after the first few games where we learnt a lot very quickly, how to play in Abu Dhabi, which is going to be our main venue, having to play eight games there. That has been the key, players understanding how we need to adapt to the change. That whole identification as well, whether they are batters or bowlers – what are the situations they are going to be in and winning those little battles out there with the oppositions. So far, I’m very happy the way the guys have responded to that.”

A good reason for Mumbai Indians’s success so far has been due to the high-performing pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult and James Pattinson. However, with the pitches in UAE turning slower and aiding slower bowlers, a few teams have already benefited with the performances of their spinners. However, Jayawardene doesn’t feel a need to change the combination that has been winning them games just as yet.

“Last year as well, we made that adjustment at the backend of the tournament when we played in pitches that suited the spinners,” he said. “So far, the fast bowlers have had a bigger role to play in the tournament, whether it is the powerplay, the middle overs or the back end. We’re trying to keep that balance. As long as they are making the contributions and they are penetrating the opposition batting line-ups, it doesn’t matter what kind of surfaces we play on. The quality of the fast bowling line-up that we have, they are always going to create opportunities.

“We have a couple of good spinners operating right now in the playing XI. And there are a couple of guys who are in the wings, who we might look at depending on the opposition and match-ups. Depending on the conditions, we might, but right now I’m happy with the combination that we have, seeing the way we have operated.”

Even though the tournament is past its half-way mark, Mumbai Indians remain possibly the only side with a settled XI. It’s a core they have continued with from their last year’s title-winning run. With all the players hitting form and making match-winning contributions at some point or the other already, there isn’t a lot to cover with the on-field battles. However, they are also a team that hasn’t tested its bench too much, and that brings with it, its own set of headaches of dropping motivations within the team. However, Jayawardene is confident that the team culture is strong enough to make the receive players feel important in the setup.

“It’s about creating a culture within the group where everyone understands that there are players who are going to go out in the middle but the other guys are also as important as anyone else in that group,” he said. “They are the ones who keep the guys on the field on their toes because these are very good players who we have got on our bench. At any time, they are ready to go out on the field and perform. It makes a healthy rivalry within the group. Everybody is focussed, they are prepared for each and every game.

“If we feel they (the players in the XI) are physically not capable or whether they are not mentally fresh. We will make sure we manage those workloads. So that is one of the things for which we have got a lot of good players on the bench to make sure they are ready to go at any given time. It’s a great headache to have but it’s also a good, healthy competition that we’ve created. What we try and do is try to keep them fresh and prepared, not push them too much but not let them relax too much either. It’s a two-month tournament, it’s not too much of an ask from these professionals. We just have to make sure they are at the top of their game. It’s also communication between the management and the players, trying to figure out issues and resolve it before it can be a problem for the two.”

(Cricbuzz )