‘Win will spread more positivity’

Mumbai Indians star batsman Suryakumar Yadav insists season’s first success—a five-wicket victory over RR—is crucial for good team atmosphere

Mumbai Indians finally broke the jinx in Season 15 of the IPL and posted a hard-fought five-wicket victory over their earlier conquerors Rajasthan Royals at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.

The victory that halted five-time champions MI’s eight-match losing streak led player-of-the-match Suryakumar Yadav to look at the positive aspects within the team in the midst of a dismal campaign. “The win will spread even more positivity. It will help everyone learn, going forward this season,” said Suryakumar in his post-match presser after MI made 161-5 to overhaul RR’s score of 158-6, with four balls to spare.

‘Tilak’s a fantastic player’

Suryakumar, MI’s most consistent run-getter of the season despite missing the first few games as he was still recuperating from a pre-event injury, made 51 off just 31 balls. He also put on a match-winning partnership of 81 off 56 balls with Tilak Varma (35 off 30) after the duo joined forces at a tricky 41 for two inside the Powerplay. “Tilak is a fantastic player. I am happy and excited to see him doing well,” Suryakumar said in praise of the cricketer from Hyderabad.

“It was really important for me to play till the end, but my job at No.3 was to take the game ahead from where [captain] Rohit [Sharma] left. It was an important win, to have a good atmosphere,” he commented at the post match presentation function.

Suryakumar sounded particularly happy with the umpire’s call on a marginal leg-before decision going in his favour and against leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal early in his innings. “I was really happy it was an umpire’s call. He [Chahal] is a great bowler and I have enjoyed the fight between him and me in the middle,” he said about his banter with Chahal, who later claimed his wicket.

That’s how we play: Rohit

MI skipper Rohit said that his team had displayed its true potential on the day. “That’s how we play. Our real potential came out today, with the ball especially. We knew it will never be easy for us to restrict them to that total. And with that batting line-up we know that if we keep taking wickets it’s going to be difficult for them. That’s what we wanted to try and we did that perfectly today,” said Rohit, who also turned 35 the same day. When asked if the victory was a birthday present, he quipped: “I’d definitely take it.” “I’d definitely take it.”

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