“I’m fed up of telling Chennai played well”

Mumbai Indians (MI) batting coach Kieron Pollard revealed how he fired up the players ahead of their crucial IPL 2025 clash against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Wankhede Stadium on April 20. Pollard talked about reminding the MI players of their losing streak against CSK since 2022.

MI entered the contest with four consecutive losses to CSK since the second meeting in the 2022 IPL season. However, they turned things around in style with a sensational nine-wicket win over their arch-rivals.

Chasing 177, MI hardly broke a sweat and completed the run-chase in a mere 15.4 overs.

Talking about the win to the broadcasters post-game, Pollard said (Via India Today):

“If you look at the start of the game, Mahela (Jayawardene) gave me the opportunity to speak to the guys. One of the things I told them was, ‘I’m fed up of telling Chennai well played over the last couple of years.’ The way the guys went out today – very good.”

The win also helped MI extend their lead over CSK in the IPL to 21-18 in 39 meetings. MI and CSK are the two most successful franchises in IPL history, with five titles each.

Yet, they missed the playoffs last season and are still at the bottom half of the points table in the ongoing edition. While MI have risen to sixth with a third consecutive win and a 4-4 record overall, CSK remain at the bottom of the standings with only two wins in eight outings.

“Of course, we wanted him at No. 3” – Kieron Pollard on Suryakumar Yadav

Kieron Pollard praised Suryakumar Yadav for his swashbuckling knock in MI’s win over CSK, adding the side’s temptation to bat him at No.3. Surya made a mockery of the run-chase, scoring an unbeaten 68 off 30 deliveries with six boundaries and five maximums.

Former captain Rohit Sharma also returned to his best with a blistering 45-ball 76*, earning him the Player of the Match award.

“Of course, we wanted him (Suryakumar Yadav) at No. 3. We want him to face as many balls as possible. But even in the back end, he’s dangerous. We try to understand the opposition and where he can make the biggest impact. Against Chennai, he reads spin so well – he can manipulate the field, sweep, reverse, and dominate,” said Pollard (Via aforementioned source).

MI will look for a fourth win on the bounce when they take on the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in an away game on April 23.

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Venkatesh has been writing cricket news, listicle and feature articles for Sportskeeda for over a year. He loves cricket because of the diversity of the playing fields and its unparalleled nuances, which no other sport presents. He also enjoys the analytical and quantitative side of the sport, which originates from his MBA degree and 10 years of experience in the IT industry in companies like Infosys, Atos and TCS.

Venkatesh ensures proper research from reliable sources and social media trends to gather information, and adds his own dash of creativity to create insightful content.

He started watching cricket in the late 1990s, having been impressed with South Africa and New Zealand’s gentleman-like attitude. Domestically, he supports the Chennai Super Kings for their ability to bring the best out of their players owing to a friendly and conducive team environment.

He admires three cricketers the most – Brian Lara for his batting style, AB de Villiers for changing the paradigm of batting and MS Dhoni for his unique cerebral approach to field placings and batting. Along with cricket, Venkatesh also enjoys watching and playing tennis and basketball. In his free time, he finds pleasure in singing and watching movies and web series.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran