'I am not being silly' - Kevin Pietersen points out Kieron Pollard's captaincy blunder vs CSK

England cricket legend Kevin Pietersen has opened up on how the Mumbai Indians side missed a trick in the opening match of the IPL second leg against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Pietersen opined that the Mumbai side started well with the ball, in spite of Rohit Sharma not playing the match. Adding that CSK had lost 4 quick wickets, the 41-year-old said that the Mumbai side should have put their foot down and continued with the same momentum.

Pietersen further added that Kieron Pollard, the stand-in-skipper should have bowled Jasprit Bumrah for 2 or 3 consecutive overs, and opined that the CSK side could have been bowled out for a total of around 80 runs.

“Mumbai started so well. They really got themselves into the game. They knew they needed to get themselves going. They lost their captain so he was replaced. And they started so well. CSK were 4 down very early. Ambati Rayudu retired out. When you get that many wickets early, you have to keep your foot down. You talk about momentum; you need to keep it going.

I think Mumbai Indians missed a trick. I don’t know what Kieron Pollard was thinking by not bowling Jasprit Bumrah for 2 or 3 overs. They could have been 40/7, 50/7. CSK could have been 60, 70 or 80 all out. I’m not being silly when I say that. You have got to bowl your fast, strike bowlers,” said Pietersen in a chat on Star Sports.

Mumbai Indians should have cleaned up CSK: Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen further added that the CSK side was allowed into the match by the Mumbai Indians side. He concluded by stating that when the opposition is 40/4 down, a team should not bring in spinners and place fielders on the boundary rope.

“They were allowed into the game. There is nowhere in this world that they should have been in this game. Mumbai Indians should have cleaned them out. These are things that are discussed in team meetings. If you had been 40/4 or something like that, you don’t bring spinners in and if you do, you don’t put fielders in the boundary,” concluded Pietersen.