Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya admitted his side’s bowling unit fell short after suffering a 27-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals in a rain-curtailed 11-overs-a-side IPL 2026 clash at the ACA Stadium here on Tuesday.
Back in charge after missing the previous game, Pandya opted to field first, but the decision did not go according to plan as Rajasthan’s openers dominated from the outset. Yashasvi Jaiswal slammed an unbeaten 77 off 32 balls while teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed 39 off just 14 deliveries, powering Royals to a commanding 150/3.
The damage was inflicted early, with the duo piling on 56 runs inside the shortened Power-play of 3.2 overs, leaving Mumbai chasing the game for the remainder of the contest.
In reply, Mumbai Indians never really recovered from a shaky start. Their top order crumbled under pressure, slipping to 46/5 before eventually finishing on 123/9, well short of the steep target.
Reflecting on the loss, Pandya was clear in his assessment, pointing to the bowlers’ inability to execute plans effectively in the early overs. “We did not execute the deliveries we were supposed to. They (RR openers) played well. Bowlers need to take responsibility. As a bowling group, we were not up to the mark. They (RR openers) also played tremendously,” he said during the post-match presentation.
Pandya, however, chose not to criticise his batting unit, instead reiterating that the game had slipped away primarily due to the bowling performance.
“I would not put the blame on batting. Definitely the bowling unit, which had to take responsibility. It is always about bowling those good balls. If we had executed, we would have been in the game. Their openers threw us off our game, and we were playing catch-up,” he said.
The Mumbai skipper also reserved special praise for young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who impressed with his fearless approach at the top.
“Quite fascinating to see a 17- or 16-year-old boy (15-year-old) play that way. Amazing to see the way he bats, the fearlessness he has. Wish him good luck for the future.”
Despite the setback, Pandya maintained a positive outlook, emphasising the need for the team to regroup and learn from their mistakes as the tournament progresses.
“Just learn from the mistakes. Morning will come tomorrow, the sun will rise, prepare well for the next game,” he said.