‘Pune’s wake-up calls will help us’
Mumbai Indians’ coach Mahela Jayawardene showed how ahead of a final a team needs to turn something negative into a positive vibe by referring to their hattrick of defeats against Rising Pune Supergiant as wake-up calls.
“First, we needed to get the monkey off our back that we have been slow starters. Pune gave us a wake-up call. We realised that we have to play better cricket than that.
“We got into a sort of momentum, won a few close matches and again, they gave us a wake-up call mid-season.
“We have had a good team effort in a tough tournament where teams can beat any other side on their day. And Pune again gave us wake-up call which meant we had to go to Bangalore and play well to come here. So, it’s good,” said Jayawardene ahead of Sunday’s final of IPL 10 here.
His skipper too put a positive spin to a hattrick of reversals against RPS. “We have not had a great experience against Pune but that was because we didn’t play good cricket. Tomorrow, we are playing at a neutral venue. We need to rectify our mistakes and ensure that we are better and focus on what we need to do. It is important to stay in the zone and not get excited,” said Rohit.
The MI skipper didn’t make much of some of his key players under-performing, preferring to focus instead on the collective effort that has taken them to one game from an unprecedented third IPL title. “If the key players haven’t performed as expected it is also because they haven’t had enough opportunities,” he said.
That’s where Jayawardene becomes such a major influence. “He has been in this position so many times for Sri Lanka. His experience is key to our success. He makes sure we don’t get too excited and he knows what a team needs to do when you have the momentum and when you lose games,” said Rohit.
Jayawardene said they are not looking at any target “because we struggled to defend 180, 190 at Wankhede. We need to see what the wicket offers us and adapt to the conditions,” he said.
Crucial to doing that is to let the boys enjoy themselves, said Jayawardene. As for his role, well, “it is good that the effort put in since the auction, the planning for back-ups because the England boys would leave” have all worked out. So for Jayawardene it is a time to sit back and enjoy.
MCCLENAGHAN FITNESS
Mitchell McClenaghan’s condition will be assessed at the ground on Sunday, said Rohit. One of MI’s go-to players, the Kiwi missed the second qualifier against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday because of injury.