MUMBAI: A fast bowling genius like Jasprit Bumrah is entitled to have an off day or not have a good season, said Mumbai Indians’ batting coach Kieron Pollard, appealing to cut some slack for the Indian pace spearhead who delivered his third most expensive spell in the Indian Premier League.
Going wicketless once again, Bumrah was hammered for 54 runs in four overs by Sunrisers Hyderabad en route to their six-wicket win on Wednesday night.
After Mumbai Indians stroked their way to their best-ever first-innings score of 243/5 riding on Ryan Rickelton’s 123 not out, SRH came out all guns blazing to make 249/4 in 18.4 overs.
“When a cricketer is not doing well, we look at every single aspect as to why he's not doing well and there is no difference to Jasprit Bumrah,” Pollard told reporters when asked about several factors around Bumrah’s bowling in this IPL including lack of pace.
“He has done this for years. As a human being, you're entitled as well to make mistakes, not have a good day, not have a good season, not have a good couple months. I just feel that we need to sometimes remember the good things that he has done."
“Yes, we try to live in the present and he hasn't been up to mark, but he has still been a No. 1 bowler for Mumbai Indians and India over a period of time. I just feel that sometimes we can cut some slack to us cricketers sometimes because, we are unfortunate to always be in the public eye so when we do bad, it's always been highlighted.”
Pollard said cutting some slack for the right-arm pacer might even help him in the longer run.
“I know he's going to bounce back with greater heights and take wickets and we all, again, (are) going to be singing Bumrah-Bumrah not only for Mumbai Indians, but (also) for India."
Pollard admitted Mumbai Indians have not been able to play a complete game but refused to concede that they have been “defeated” in the season.
“We haven't been able to string a complete game of cricket together as a team. It has not been as consistent as we would have hoped,” he said.
“We have accepted that (but) we have not accepted defeat. When I said defeat, I didn't want the headlines to be that Mumbai Indians now are defeated because mathematically and from a points’ perspective, we are still much in the tournament.
The former MI player refused to discuss much on the nature of pitches at the Wankhede Stadium — full of runs but carrying no assistance for bowlers — saying his side yet has not produced a complete game.
“There's no point in harping on the type of wickets and all of that. Two teams are going to play on the surface, and it all boils down to who plays the better cricket,” he said.
“But what I can safely say, in the dressing room and (with) the spirits of the guys, they are willing and wanting to fight. These things happen. You could have been worst off. But at the end of it, we're still playing a game of cricket and there are a lot of other things more serious in life as well. So it is what it is,” Pollard added.