'Mumbai Indians Not Playing Best Cricket, Playing In Bits And Pieces,' Says Head Coach Mahela Jayawardene After CSK Defeat

Chennai: Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jaywawardene reiterated that the five-time champions are not playing their best cricket at the moment and were playing well in bits and pieces and not well throughout the game to win it.

Jayawardene was speaking to the reporters in the post-match press conference after their eight-wicket defeat to the Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium that has severely dented their hopes of making it to the IPL Playoffs as one of the top four teams.

“We need to understand that we do play some good cricket in bits and pieces, but we can't get a full game, like last game we scored 240, our bowlers weren't able to execute, and today batsmen started well, but then we didn't put runs on the board for our bowlers to have a crack at it, so we're not playing our best cricket at the moment,” Jayawardene explained.

Jayawardene struck a measured but candid tone as he reflected on the team’s defeat to the Super Kings in Chennai, emphasizing both tactical shortcomings and missed opportunities.

The coach’s remarks centred on the team’s inability to adapt quickly enough to conditions at the Chepauk and execute under pressure, particularly during key phases of the match.

“Yeah, I think probably the first 10 overs we were in place. What we wanted on that wicket, we felt it was a sluggish wicket, it would be slightly harder to score runs once the ball gets old as well, so I think we lost our way.

I mean even at the front, the wickets we gave were a couple of soft ones, and especially we should have been a bit more smarter in how we handled that, but we were definitely placed to get the par score which is 180-190 on this wicket (Chepauk),” he added.

Jayawardene was especially critical of the middle overs, which he described as the decisive period of the match.

He explained that Mumbai Indians lost control during this phase, allowing Chennai Super Kings to build momentum through partnerships and calculated aggression.

He highlighted that the bowlers did not maintain consistent lines and lengths, which made it easier for the opposition to settle in.

“It’s not just Booms (Bumrah) but the bowling group as a whole that needs to fire. It’s a collective effort that we need. I mean he bowled brilliantly today, he could have taken a few more wickets. He went all out, so he’ll be fine. He’ll just keep coming at you,” Jayawardene added.

On the batting side, Jayawardene expressed concern over the lack of composure after early wickets. He remarked that the team needed someone to anchor the innings and guide the chase, but instead they saw a series of rushed decisions and avoidable dismissals.

He stressed that chasing in Chennai requires patience and awareness, qualities that were not consistently evident. Talking about young Tilak Varma, the MI head coach felt he’s a top-quality player, will learn from his mistakes and come back stronger.

“I think the more he plays different situations, he’ll understand what he needs to do, we saw brilliant innings from him in Ahmedabad where he single-handedly finished the game off for us, so I think he has that ability, so trying to get that consistency, handling situations, being a bit more proactive in thinking what we need to do in those situations is something he'll find, and he's still young, so he'll learn from whatever mistakes he's making,” Jayawardene quipped.

Despite the disappointment, Jayawardene avoided singling out individuals, choosing instead to frame the loss as a collective learning experience. He reiterated that the squad has the talent and depth to compete at the highest level but must improve in reading match situations and executing plans.

He emphasized the importance of staying calm under pressure and making better on-field decisions, particularly in high-stakes games against experienced opponents like Chennai Super Kings.