In the ongoing UAE leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season, Mumbai Indians’ Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan have been absolutely out of sorts. The duo’s poor performances have hurt the squad, with Rohit Sharma’s side currently sitting in seventh position in the IPL points table. Sunil Gavaskar, a former India captain, believes Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan have “relaxed a little bit” after receiving their India caps.
“I think it looks to me like, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan have just relaxed a little bit after getting the India cap. They might not have, but some of the shots they are playing – it looks like they are trying to play these big shots just because they are India players,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’.
“Sometimes what happens is, you gotta give yourself a little bit of time, and you gotta get your shot selection right. And I think that is where they have missed this time around, where their shot selection has not been exactly correct, and that’s why they’ve got out cheaply.”
Ishan Kishan has 107 runs in eight games for MI, averaging 13.27. This is a long cry from previous season, when he scored 516 runs in 14 games for MI, averaging 57.33. The left-poor hander’s batsmanship has cost him his position in the MI starting XI.
Suryakumar has struggled as well, and while he hasn’t lost his spot, his efforts have been deemed insufficient. He has 222 runs this season, with an average of 18.50 and a high of 56. Like many other MI players, the right-hander has struggled in the UAE.
The defending champions, Mumbai Indians, will face Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday in a must-win match. Any hope of them making the playoffs will be shattered if they lose.
