Krish Bhagat conceded 31 runs in two tough overs while Mumbai Indians suffered a heavy loss to Chennai Super Kings.
Krish Bhagat, aged 21, played only his second IPL match for Mumbai Indians on Thursday. In his first game three days earlier, he bowled overs four and six, giving away ten runs to Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, and Glenn Phillips. Against Chennai Super Kings, he did not bowl during the powerplay. Instead, he was handed overs 16 and 20, allowing 31 runs in the process.
Ambati Rayudu described overs 16 and 20 as two of the hardest in a T20 innings. He explained that the 16th over marks the start of aggressive batting, while the 20th over is when teams go all out. Rayudu called these overs very challenging for a young player. Mitchell McClenaghan, a former MI bowler, also agreed with this assessment.
McClenaghan pointed out that in recent IPL seasons, teams prioritize having their best bowler bowl the 20th over in the first innings. In the chase, they aim to have their best bowler bowl the 19th over. He mentioned that conceding too many runs in these overs can deflate the bowling side. Teams also aim to take a wicket before the last over to maintain momentum.
Despite losing the powerplay with CSK at 73 for 2, MI made some positive moves. McClenaghan praised AM Ghazanfar for his impressive powerplay spell, conceding just six runs in one over. He also highlighted Mitch Santner's performance in the second over, giving away just one run. Jasprit Bumrah returned later in the powerplay to target the lower order of CSK, though he conceded 19 runs across two overs.
Krish Bhagat was handed the final over against Chennai Super Kings. McClenaghan noted that Hardik Pandya, who faced Bhagat, was well-set and ready to attack. He suggested that Hardik may have tried to target a lesser-known bowler, but struggled with yorkers. The field placements indicated an attempt at wide yorkers, but they ended up being fuller deliveries. Bhagat was still figuring out his execution in high-pressure moments.
Ambati Rayudu and Mitchell McClenaghan discussed Mumbai Indians' batting lineup choices. Rutherford batted at number seven, while Tilak Varma, their star from the previous match, was placed at number five. Both felt Varma had a better chance to make an impact immediately at the death compared to Rutherford. Rayudu emphasized Varma's ability to start hitting from ball one in the last five overs.
McClenaghan pointed out that Varma becomes explosive once set but does not necessarily need to be set to score quickly. Rayudu highlighted Varma's clarity in the death overs, where he knows exactly how to attack bowlers. Varma has previously scored heavily in the last four or five overs, including a 64-run cameo in 17 balls. Rutherford, on the other hand, needs a few deliveries to find his rhythm before becoming aggressive.