Game's not over till Bumrah bowls, hails MI's nerve vs GT: AB de Villiers

Business Standard

5 days ago

In what turned out to be a high-stakes, nerve-wracking encounter, the Mumbai Indians held their nerve to knock out the Gujarat Titans, drawing praise from cricketing greats AB de Villiers and Robin Uthappa. Speaking on Kuhl Fans Match Centre Live on JioHotstar, the JioStar experts dissected the game-changing moments that swung the thriller in MI's favour.
Bumrah, the inevitable closer
Reflecting on the performance, AB de Villiers singled out Jasprit Bumrah as the key to Mumbai's success in crunch situations. 'The players known for stepping up in knockouts faced their fears and delivered,' said de Villiers. 'No one gave GT a chance at the halfway mark, but MI held their nerve – especially Jasprit Bumrah, who just keeps delivering in the big moments.'
Bumrah's decisive spell included the dismissal of the in-form Sai Sudharsan – a moment de Villiers identified as a turning point. 'Sai had nailed that shot all season, but it didn't come off when it mattered most,' he noted, adding that GT's series of misfortunes – dropped catches, chaotic dismissals, and a hit-wicket – only added to the drama.
De Villiers also lauded MI skipper Hardik Pandya's tactical nous in managing Bumrah's overs. 'Credit to Hardik for holding Bumrah back until the right time. Sai had been playing him well, so delaying his return was a smart move,' he said. 'Before Bumrah came back for his final two overs, I told my son, 'This game isn't over until he's done bowling.' Once again, he showed why he's one of the best.'
Fellow JioStar expert Robin Uthappa was equally impressed with Rohit Sharma's composed response after a shaky start. 'After the early drop, Rohit flirted with danger briefly but quickly recognised the need to take control,' said Uthappa. 'He shifted gears, played responsibly, found the gaps, and built key partnerships. His composure stood out.'
Uthappa compared Rohit's presence at the crease to that of other greats like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. 'When players like Rohit, Dhoni, or Kohli are batting, the pressure is on everyone else. Sai Sudharsan is starting to reach that level too,' he added, recognising the young GT batter's emergence despite the loss.
GT's fielding and strategy under fire
While applauding the contest, Uthappa was candid in his criticism of Gujarat Titans' approach. 'GT's strategy was more reactive than proactive. Using Prasidh in the powerplay – despite his success in the middle overs – was a misstep. His first over was expensive, and they failed to course-correct,' he said.
The two costly overs that went for 26 and 22 runs were emblematic of GT's off-day. 'On top of that, their fielding let them down. You can't drop that many catches and expect to win a championship,' he added bluntly.
MI vs Punjab: Uthappa predicts a blockbuster
Looking ahead, Uthappa predicted fireworks as Mumbai prepares to face Punjab in their next outing. 'Punjab are hurting and will come out firing. Mumbai, riding high on momentum, will bring intensity as well,' he said. 'It's set to be a blockbuster, one for the ages.'
With legends like Bumrah peaking in form and leadership across the board stepping up under pressure, the IPL knockout stage promises more drama and high-quality cricket.