'Got enough guys to make mix and match': Mhambrey on MI squad depth

GUWAHATI: With Hardik Pandya likely to return to resume his role as Mumbai Indians captain, it will boost the franchise's chance of getting back to winning ways against Rajasthan Royals here for sure.

Although his absence forced multiple changes in the playing XI in the last game without the desired success, MI bowling coach Paras Mhambrey stressed on their depth to tackle these injury issues and backed the squad to perform well in different conditions even without their inspirational skipper.




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“I think that’s something (adjusting team combinations due to injuries) that you will have to take. Injuries are something that you can’t control. But I think we got the team, we got enough guys out there to make the mix and match, and looking at the surface and combinations, I think we got enough guys to look around,” Mhambrey said at the pre-match press conference at Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Monday.

Pandya’s illness forced a couple of changes in the side with Corbin Bosch coming in as a foreign recruit replacing Trent Boult, while Deepak Chahar came in for Pandya to balance the Indian-foreigner combination intact.

Asked if it was forced only for tactical reason, he said, “Yes, I think it’s just a combination, obviously Hardik gives you that option of a bat and ball, all-rounder right. So, since he wasn’t available, we needed a kind of replacement who could fill in that role for us. So it's purely a tactical decision that we went with him (Bosch).”

Meanwhile, the MI skipper has a fine record against the Royals, scoring 506 runs in 16 games at an average of 72.29 and a strike rate of 173.29, while picking 12 wickets.

Asked if Rohit Sharma scoring briskly at the top is a ‘bonus’ this season, the former India bowling coach retorted saying, no one doubted Rohit’s ability to continue scoring runs for MI.

“I don’t think anyone doubted Rohit’s performance. I don’t think his performing is a bonus. We don’t look at it that way. We look at it in terms of what he brings to the table, you know, other than the cricket as well. It’s the expertise, the experience, the chat on the field with the bowlers, with the batters. I think he adds a lot of value. So for us, I think it’s a lot more all-around approach,” he added.

Defending Tilak Varma’s indifferent form in the first two games, Mhambrey added, “It’s too early for us to look into the performances or forms. It’s just 2 games into it. So yeah, I think just give him (Tilak) a couple of games as well, and we’ll see how it goes for us.”

‘Riyan a smart captain, backs his bowlers’

Praising captain Riyan Parag for the calm and composed bowling changes and field setting in the match against Gujarat Titans, RR’s head of international player development and assistant coach Siddhartha Lahiri said on Monday, “Cricket is always led by the captain, and he (Riyan) has shown that he can stay calm under pressure. Even last year, when he wasn’t a full-time captain, he never buckled.”

Pointing to key on-field decisions as evidence of Riyan’s leadership quality, including backing his bowlers in pressure situations, Lahiri added, “Decisions like giving Tushar Deshpande the ball or trusting Jofra Archer in crucial overs show belief. When a captain trusts his players, they respond.”

Highlighting Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s maturity to stay grounded, he said, “He is very young but also very mature. He stays within his game and understands what he wants to do. We are proud of how he is handling all the attention at this age.”
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