IPL 2022: A point about Kieron Pollard

MI’s Kieron Pollard is run out against Punjab Kings at Pune on Wednesday; (inset) Kieron Pollard. Pics/BCCI; IPL

It looked like a perfect setting for him. Mumbai Indians needed 68 runs off 43 balls for victory against Punjab Kings at the MCA Stadium here on Wednesday. Suryakumar Yadav, in top form, was at the other end. Those are the situations Kieron Pollard thrives on. Those are the situations that he has absolutely bossed on a number of occasions in the past.

A terrible mix up

But not this time. Not against the Punjab Kings on Wednesday. All MI fans got from their designate finisher was a 11-ball 10, a knock that was ended with a terrible mix up with Suryakumar resulting in a run out at the strikers' end.

MI players wear a dejected look against Punjab Kings

Pollard's ordinary form is definitely not the sole reason behind Mumbai Indians' poor showing at the IPL 2022 so far, but it is certainly not helping a team that is trying to rebuild after a mega auction.

Pollard has walked in, in an ideal situation, at least thrice out of five games so far this season. At 117-3 (14.2 overs) v Delhi Capitals, and at 121-3 (13 overs) in a chase of 194 v Rajasthan Royals, apart from Wednesday's game. But his three off six balls v DC and 22 off 24 balls v RR certainly failed to make any impact.

To be fair to the West Indian, he batted out of position (at No.5) in the first couple of games as Suryakumar was out injured. Also, with Jaydev Unadkat being the next man in and with 68 runs needed off 7.1 overs, his cautious start was understandable against the Punjab Kings. But when those cautious starts don't convert into something big towards the end, they cost a lot to a team in T20 cricket.

Pollard's 57 runs from five innings this season is not the only problem for Mumbai Indians, but considering that he is one of the four
retained players for the franchise, MI fans would definitely be expecting a bit more from their impact player.

With a little over one third of their league engagements concluded, MI are still figuring out their best XI, and that should be a major worry for the team management. They tried a combination of six bowling options, including international recruits Tymal Mills and Daniel Sams being part of it for first three games. They then tried playing an extra batsman by dropping both Sams and Mills. Then, they brought back Mills for the game against Kings, and played only six batsmen. Neither of the strategy has so far worked. "We think we're playing the best XI given the conditions and how we want to set up with our skill set and sometimes the rub of the green doesn't go your way," MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene said after the defeat to Punjab Kings.

Top-6 batters under pressure

With all due respect to his batting ability, and performance with the bat so far this season, if Jaydev Unadkat is your No.7 in a T20 game, that is bound to put a lot of pressure on the top six. And that was quite evident with the way MI went about their chase against Punjab Kings, holding back their best batsman of the season, Suryakumar till the fall of the third wicket and then the kind of sedate knock that Pollard played at No.6.

There are no easy answers to the problems MI are facing. And unless the team think tank finds solution quickly, the IPL's most successful franchise could be out of reckoning for a play-off spot very soon.

57
No. of runs MI star Kieron Pollard has scored in IPL-15