IPL 2024: Mumbai Indians’ start under Hardik Pandya not as bad as this Rohit Sharma 2014 record

In IPL 2014 as well, Mumbai Indians lost the first five matches but, then won seven of the remaining nine, to scrape through to the Playoffs, where they succumbed to Chennai Super Kings, in the Eliminator.

Mumbai Indians bowler Akash Madhwal with Rohit Sharma celebrates the wicket of Rajasthan Royals batter R Ashwin during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai. (PTI)

In IPL 2015, they lost four in a row but ended up winning the title.

Sensational comeback in 2015

Mumbai Indians started the season with a 7-wicket loss to Kolkata Knight Riders. It was followed by losses against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings.

Their first win came against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their fifth game. Unfortunately, in their very next game, they suffered a loss against Delhi Daredevils (Now Delhi Capitals). They needed at least seven wins out of the next eight games to make it to the playoffs.

The Rohit Sharma-led team won five games on the trot – against SRH, RR, Punjab, Delhi and CSK, before losing to RCB. A loss to RCB meant that the team had no buffer for mistakes in the next two games. They were against KKR first and then SRH and ended up winning the both match.

In their first playoff, they defeated CSK by 25 runs. In the final, Meeting their nemesis CSK for the fourth time in the tournament, a clinical Mumbai won the trophy.

Rise of Hardik Pandya

Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya, who was booed again by the home fans at the toss will never forget the 2015 season.

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya walks back after getting out against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)

In his debut game for MI, he played against RCB and hit a six off the very second ball that he faced. He scored 16* (6), including two sixes.

In the second league game against CSK. MI needed 30 off 12 to win it, Hardik hit three sixes, effecting an easy win. His score of 21* (8) also handed CSK it’s first defeat at Chepauk in two years, and MI’s fifth win on the trot!

Hardik also scored an excellent 61 not out (31 balls) in his third game of the season, which happened to be a must-win game for Mumbai to make it to the playoffs.