Mumbai Indians bounced back after four consecutive defeats in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, beating the Gujarat Titans by a whopping 99 runs. MI incurred another top-order collapse, only to be rescued by an extraordinary hundred from Tilak Varma. With the ball, it was Impact Player Ashwani Kumar who rose the tallest, picking up 4 wickets for 24 runs. During the press conference after the match, Ashwani revealed how the Mumbai dressing room remained positive despite 4 losses on the trot, thanks to skipper Hardik Pandya.
Hardik has been at the center of criticism at MI, with several former cricketers, experts and even fans questioning his leadership, decision-making and even contributions as a player. Though the all-rounder is yet to hit top gear as a player, he did well in keeping the dressing room together during this challenging phase.
When asked about the dressing room atmosphere during this winless run, Ashwani said: “Sir, the atmosphere was very good. And, sir, there was nothing, there was only positive talk in our dressing room. No matter if we go up or down there was only positive talk. So, the atmosphere was good then as well. Tilak played very well. We knew that we would score.”
Ashwani also opened up on his own plans for GT batters. Playing his first game, the pacer applied himself quite effectively, picking wickets of Shubman Gill, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan and Rashid Khan. Ashwani revealed that he had a chat with Hardik about devising a strategy and tried to execute as was instructed.
“I had studied the batsman beforehand and knew how he plays, but once I was out there and saw what the wicket was demanding, I consulted with the captain to adjust. We had a plan from the start, but ultimately, you have to read the wicket during the match and adapt accordingly,” he asserted.
With the win, MI have climbed up to the 7th spot on the points table, with 2 wins in 6 matches. The franchise, however, still has a long way to go, issues to fix if they are to be considered top 4 contenders.
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