Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene believes there is only one way to break the team’s 13-year opening-day ‘hoodoo’ in the IPL: play a good game of cricket. Speaking on Saturday, Jayawardene insisted that despite failing to win a season opener since 2012, the team’s preparation remains focused on execution. MI, the perennial slow-starters, last won their opening match in the IPL in April 2012, when they beat Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets. As they gear up to take on three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders here on Sunday, the very first question Jayawardene took was whether MI would break that jinx this time around. “It is the elephant in the room but there is no way for us to prepare differently,” Jayawardene told reporters at the Wankhede Stadium ahead of MI’s training session. “If you look at the season that I was involved in, we had close matches, we lost. I think I have spoken to the boys about the intensity being there for that first game. I think that is all we can control.” “That is what I have asked from the guys to go out and play a good game of cricket at that high intensity. Other than that, I don’t see how else we could prepare because we pretty much prepare for each and every game the same way. Hopefully, I can break that hoodoo,” the former Sri Lankan skipper said. Jayawardene, nevertheless, was pleased to have a robust squad comprising several current and past captains from international circuit under one roof.Story continues below this ad “We have another losing captain (New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner) as well,” Jayawardene replied when asked how easy it is for MI skipper Hardik Pandya to have India’s current and former T20 World Cup winning leaders Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma along with him. “It is great to have all this experience; everyone brings that element. Even to have players like Trent (Boult), who has played a fair amount of cricket around the world. Jasprit (Bumrah) with that experience. “That is a core group that we built over many years (and) that is a benefit we reap from that. The contribution that Ro (Rohit) brings in, what Surya brings in and every other cricketer brings in, it is massive,” he said. Jayawardene relied on Rohit’s preparation and experience despite lacking T20 game time in recent months, having not played the format since last IPL.Story continues below this ad “Yeah, I think (that is) true. But there’s a transformation in Rohit. We’ve seen the commitment on his part. He’s been training skills as well for a longer period of time – that is what is in his control, what he can do,” Jayawardene said. “I’m pretty satisfied with what I’ve seen in the practice games and in the nets. The hand speed, the technique, everything and then on top of that, he has his experience as well (of) playing 18 years of IPL.” Jayawardene said the members of India’s T20 World Cup winning side were given extended break from MI duties after an exhaustive campaign. “It was great to see that intensity, how they went about it. It is a World Cup. It is the best stage in the world, that adrenaline is something that is difficult to match,” Jayawardene said. “Hence, why we gave them an extended period to take a break, (to) spend some time with family and then come back fresh so that they know it is a different start, different setup.Story continues below this ad “But they are walking into a setup they are very familiar with. These guys have been with us for many years now so it is a much easier way for them to get into that groove, and it is (also about) conversations that we had with them about getting to that intensity,” he added.
Hope to break that hoodoo: Jayawardene on MI’s first-match defeats since 2013
