Mahela Jayawardene points to injuries after Mumbai Indians fail to reach IPL playoffs

Head coach Mahela Jayawardene has pointed to a string of injuries among key players as a major reason behind Mumbai Indians’ disappointing exit from the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoff race.

The five-time champions saw their campaign come to an end on Sunday after a narrow two-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Raipur — their eighth loss in 11 matches this season.

Despite assembling a star-studded squad led by Hardik Pandya, alongside Indian cricket stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai struggled to maintain consistency throughout the tournament.

Injuries played a significant role in disrupting the team’s rhythm. Rohit Sharma missed six matches due to a hamstring issue, Pandya was sidelined for three games with a back problem, while all-rounder Mitchell Santner was ruled out with a shoulder injury. These setbacks forced the team to frequently adjust their playing combinations.

Jayawardene dismissed suggestions that the team made excessive tactical changes, explaining that most alterations were unavoidable due to player unavailability.

He noted that the side would have preferred to rely on a consistent core group but emphasized that the squad still possessed enough quality to perform better. While acknowledging the challenges, he avoided using injuries as an excuse for the underwhelming season.

The coach also defended the continued inclusion of key players like Pandya and Suryakumar, stressing the importance of trust and stability within the squad. He added that despite their recent international success, the team as a whole fell short of expectations in this IPL campaign.