Here’s what the Mumbai Indians players said after they bossed their way to an unpresented fifth IPL title in Dubai
Jasprit Bumrah: It means a great deal [us playing this tournament amid a pandemic]. As we know, it is a difficult time and everyone’s stuck at home. We are few of the privileged ones. We are grateful we can always play cricket and come back and do what we love to do. It is a big thing and we can entertain those who are watching us as well. It is a big thing in this difficult situation if you can give a bit of entertainment for people watching at home and you know facing difficulties. If we could bring smiles to their faces, that’s the best we can do. Hopefully we were able to do that.
Very happy [to win the title]. We have worked very hard. We started preparing much earlier than the other teams and we were working hard towards the process. All the processes have got us results. As he [Suryakumar] said we had decided we were winning tournaments every alternate year, so this year’s goal was that we had to break that jinx and that aim has been successfully achieved. That’s the best feeling ever.
Suryakumar Yadav: I think it’s an amazing feeling. Before coming here we had a chat in the bus and even in the team meetings that we have won tournaments in alternate years and odd years and we wanted to break that jinx and create history. So here it is, very happy with it. I think they [coaches and support staff] have been amazing throughout the tournament. Preparations, process are all important. They just said one thing, we will take care of all this you guys just go out there, express yourselves, enjoy and do what you do the best. I think he [Rohit] was batting really well at that moment [when I sacrificed my wicket]. Most importantly, he has been anchoring the innings since the first game. And I don’t mind sacrificing my wicket for him at all.
Ishan Kishan: I think, to be honest, I wasn’t looking in good shape before this season. I had a chat with Hardik bhai and Krunal bhai, so they actually asked me to improve my fitness and keep working on my off-side game. I think that overall worked good for my batting and that was the plus point for me this season to score big runs.
Krunal Pandya: I guess it’s the hunger to stay at the top always. We’ve never taken any season or any game lightly though we’ve we’ve played good cricket this season as well. The way we went about all the games – there was 100% effort from all the boys and a lot of credit goes to how we prepared before the season as well. Back in Mumbai for two months, everyone was training hard and from hereon, one month before we came, everyone knew their roles very clearly. Then, when the tournament started, everyone was in good shape and going out and executing what they’ve been doing at the nets.
There has never been doubt at Ishan’s talent and the No.1 thing I liked about him this season was he was ready to improve. The moment you know you’re lacking something and accepting you have to work hard. All credit goes to him…the way he came back this season. He was not there in the first playing XI and he got his opportunity and capitalised on it. It’s not easy batting at 4, then again opening the batting, and again batting at 4.
Hardik Pandya: To be honest no [was this IPL difficult because you could just execute one skill?]. For me it was about opportunity, whether batting or bowling, for me bowling this year I wasn’t able to do. But, it’s just about backing myself and as Krunal mentioned it’s all about preparation. On that bracket, we did pretty well and we focused on improving our game day-by-day, and that’s what we were able to implement in the ground.
Nathan Coulter-Nile: Ah, I think, Patto [James Pattinson] was bowling beautifully, so I was just quite happy to sit on the sidelines and wait [for] my turn. I got my chance at the end and [I was] lucky enough to kick him out of the side. He’s a very good bowler, and he’d have done the job just as well today, so happy I got the chance.
Quinton de Kock: “Obviously it helps that Mumbai have a great set-up, so we’ve been able to move with the gym work and training and stuff. Missing the family has obviously been difficult for everyone, some of our families couldn’t come with us, but we held in and we’re reaping the rewards today for it. You can see how much it [winning] means to everyone in the Mumbai team – staff and the owners. I think this year because there were questions around Mumbai team in general whether we can win back-to-back. I think the guys really did the extra work to make sure we can hold on to the title for the second time in a row. I think everybody worked extra hard. You can see it’s paid off. Congrats to all the guys who worked extra hard on all the nitty-gritties.