IPL 2022: "Mumbai Indians have always kept it good" - Pragyan Ojha urges the team to keep the dressing room environment healthy
Former Indian cricketers Pragyan Ojha and Parthiv Patel have dissected Mumbai Indians' sixth consecutive defeat in IPL 2022. Ojha, who played for the Mumbai Indians between 2012 and 2015, underlined that the franchise must continue to keep the dressing room motivated despite the winless run.
On Friday, the Mumbai Indians slumped to their sixth consecutive defeat, losing to the Lucknow Super Giants. The newly-formed franchise set a target of 200 for the Mumbai Indians and the latter made a decent start. However, the five-time champions lost steam and went on to lose by 18 runs.
Speaking to Cricbuzz Live, Pragyan Ojha said the Mumbai Indians must maintain a good dressing room atmosphere. Ojha stated:
"It is important is how you navigate the dressing room atmosphere. I'm saying this because Mumbai Indians have always kept it good. They have lost six on the trot for the first time and I would like to stress that as a champion team, keep the dressing room environment in good shape."
Ojha reflected that the team must remain a close-knit unit in such times as it could give them an opportunity to make a comeback. He added:
"I would like to add is when you have lost so many games, the big thing is their dressing room atmosphere brought them back. It's vital to keep it healthy because there should be no differences in there. If there is even a little chance of a comeback by beating the odds, the dressing room environment must be good because you lose a game there, execution happens on the field. Winning and losing are within the dressing room."
Rohit Sharma & Co. have hardly found any positives from their woeful campaign so far. The skipper's form has been a significant concern as he has managed only 114 runs in six matches at 19. This is also the worst start the franchise has made in the tournament's history.
"They have done several things without finding the right combination" - Parthiv Patel
Meanwhile, Parthiv Patel recognized that the Mumbai Indians have an uphill task in their hands. The 37-year-old highlighted that no combination has worked for them so far while the top-order batters' repeated failures are making things worse. Patel said:
"It's a massive wall and to break it, they have to ponder a lot. Mumbai Indians have tried everything. We have seen Unadkat has played at number 7, today Fabian Allen, previously Tim David. They have done several things without finding the right combination."
"Along with that, the top-order has failed to score runs. If the top-order - Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan - don't make runs, strike at less than 100, then you have two young batters following suit."
The five-time champions will next face the Chennai Super Kings on Thursday at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Mumbai.