"Everyone in the squad is an option" - MI coach Mahela Jayawardene on Arjun Tendulkar's chances of making it to the team's playing XI
Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene recently spoke about the chances of Arjun Tendulkar making it to their playing XI for their remaining matches in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2022).
Speaking ahead of MI's match against the Gujarat Titans, Jayawardene mentioned that every member of the squad will be considered for selection. However, he suggested that a final call will be made considering the matchups and the team combination.
Jayawardene stated:
"Everyone in the squad is an option. It's about matchups and how we can win matches. Our priority is to make sure that we get the right matchups and that we have the ability to execute that.
"We managed to get our first win, so it's about stringing a few wins together to get the confidence back," he added. "We'll look to put the best guys out. If Arjun is one of those guys that we consider, then yes. But it all depends on the combination that we want."
The five-time champions acquired Arjun Tendulkar's services for ₹30 lakh at the IPL 2022 auction earlier this year. The left-armer has now been a part of the MI setup for two years but is yet to make his debut in the cash-rich league.
Meanwhile, Mumbai ended their eight-match losing streak by securing a stunning five-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Saturday. Young spinners Hrithik Shokeen and Kumar Kartikeya impressed many with their exploits with the ball in that particular clash.
Jayawardene highlighted that the two players showcased great composure against a star-studded team and lauded them for the same. He added that he expects them to continue the good work in their upcoming encounters as well.
"Hrithik Shokeen bowled really well in his two overs where we had the matchup," he said. "He went for runs in one over, but the attitude that he showed to come back in the last two balls was quite impressive.
"Kumar Kartikeya has been a great story," he continued. "He's been with our support group for several weeks working. When we had the opportunity to bring him in, we knew that he had the skills. It was about understanding his temperament on the big stage.
"It's good to see these kids come through and at the same time have composure out there against a very good batting lineup," he concluded.
Kumar Kartikeya conceded just 19 runs from his full quota of four overs against RR, picking up the important wicket of Sanju Samson.
Hrithik Shokeen, on the other hand, went for 47 runs from his three overs. However, he dismissed the likes of Jos Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal in the encounter.
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"Unfair to point fingers at Jasprit Bumrah" - Mahela Jayawardene
Jayawardene pointed out that the team's bowlers haven't been able to pick up early wickets in the powerplay, despite trying a number of options. He feels that one must not blame Jasprit Bumrah for the side's underwhelming bowling performances.
The cricketer-turned-coach suggested that the opposition IPL teams haven't tried to take a lot of risks against the star pacer, which is why he hasn't had many wickets to his name this year.
On this, Jayawardene said:
"We haven't been able to dominate the powerplay this season by picking up early wickets. We have tried a lot of options. It's unfair to point fingers at Jasprit Bumrah because his role has been to create pressure. You can say that he hasn't picked up wickets, but teams play the entire bowling unit, they don't play just one bowler.
"They have made sure that they don't take too many risks against Bumrah," he added. "It's one of those seasons for us where we have tried different combinations, but haven't been able to control situations."
Bumrah has managed to claim just five wickets from his nine appearances this season, having bowled at an impressive economy rate of 7.46. He will next be seen in action on Friday (May 6) when the Mumbai-based side take on Gujarat Titans at the Brabourne Stadium.