“The most frustrating thing is not sticking to our plans,” said MI bowling coach Shane Bond after a loss to LSG.

On May 16, 2023, after the Mumbai Indians (MI) lost to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match, bowling instructor Shane Bond was dissatisfied with his team’s bowling unit. MI lost by five runs to the Krunal Pandya-led team and fell to fourth place in the IPL 2023 standings.

The former New Zealand cricketer stated that MI’s inability to execute as planned is the most aggravating aspect for him. In addition, he stated that the team had a clear strategy to dismiss a player like Marcus Stoinis, but the bowlers did not execute it consistently.

“The most aggravating aspect for me is when we do not adhere to the plans we discuss. We were very explicit with players like Marcus Stoinis about what we wanted to do on this wicket and where we wanted to bowl, but we did not bowl there consistently enough.

When considering a team strategy, you must get the batters to strike where you want them to hit. Make things as difficult as feasible for them. Bond stated in the post-match press conference, “You don’t want them to hit you where they want to hit you.”

“We observed this with Stoinis, a talented performer. We knew he was attempting to strike straight down the ground, so we provided him with balls to do so. His innings were the deciding factor between the two teams,” he added.

We continually repeat the same error: Bond
Shane Bond went on to criticize the team’s bowling unit for repeatedly committing the same error. The 47-year-old stated that the team has been outstanding for the past 15 years, ever since they have delivered as desired. He also mentioned how Rashid Khan placed the Mumbai Indians (MI) under pressure against the Gujarat Titans (GT). Stonis, who is ranked fifteenth on the Orange Cap Holders list, destroyed Michigan bowlers with a score of 89 out of 47.

“We’ve always taken pride in our preparation, the work we do behind the scenes, and the way we evaluate the game — focusing on the errors we wish to correct. The most exasperating aspect is that we continue to make the same error. From my perspective, this is disappointing.

For 15 overs, we performed admirably and achieved our goals. One player placed us under pressure. The previous evening, Rashid Khan did the same thing, and we made the same errors. It did not cost us the previous game, but it did tonight,” he said.