‘Pollard didn’t really press gas at the right time’: Brian Lara explains how MI allowed CSK to get back into the match

Lara was surprised with the way CSK turned the game upside down. He explained what led Dhoni & Co get back into the game even after going through a massive batting collapse in the beginning.

Mumbai Indians’ 20-run loss to Chennai Super Kings on Sunday in Dubai has raised a few questions on Kieron Pollard captaincy. The Caribbean all-rounder led the side in the absence of Rohit Sharma but couldn’t avoid the defeat while chasing a 157-run target.

Brian Lara expresses his views on Kieron Pollard captaincy (HT Collage)

The fast-bowling duo of Trent Boult and Adam Milne provided a magnificent start to MI as they reduced CSK to 24 for 4 in the powerplay. However, it was opener Ruturaj Gaikwad who rescued MS Dhoni’s men-in-yellow with two crucial partnerships, with Ravindra Jadeja and later with Dwayne Bravo, playing a knock of 88 not out.

Chennai set a 157-run target for Mumbai to chase but Pollard’s team failed to finish the chase successfully. They posted 136 for 8, handing 2 valuable points to CSK.

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara was surprised with the way CSK turned the game upside down. Speaking with Cricket.com, he explained what led Dhoni & Co get back into the game even after going through a massive batting collapse in the beginning.

“They [CSK] should have been done and dusted by the Mumbai Indians. There are a few things that Kieron Pollard did out there that I felt he didn’t really press gas at the right time and sort of just came off the pedal and allowed the Chennai Super Kings to get back into the match. But I felt that you make it easy, you can’t have Bumrah just bowling one over at that stage,” Brian Lara said while speaking to cricket.com.

“I can’t blame the Mumbai bowlers, but I just felt that they could have done a little bit better tactically. I think it’s more tactical. You’ve got two spinners that you most likely will have to use at some point in time. I wouldn’t necessarily say the bowlers were bad. I felt if they had used them properly, no way 156 was on the card for Chennai Super Kings,” he added.

This victory took CSK to the top of the points table with 12 points in their kitty. They have dethroned Delhi Capitals, who have equal number of points but lesser net run rate.