Mumbai: As the TATA IPL enters the ‘Race to Play-offs’ phase, JioStar experts Ajay Jadeja and Ambati Rayudu shared insights on Kuhl Fans Match Centre Live on JioHotstar, following Mumbai Indians’ comprehensive victory against Rajasthan Royals. The duo dissected team strategies, individual brilliance, and what the result means for the tournament going forward.
Speaking on Kuhl Fans Match Centre Live on JioHotstar, JioStar expert Ajay Jadeja spoke on Rajasthan Royals’ struggles and Mumbai Indians’ dominance:
“The last game for Rajasthan Royals brought a glimmer of hope with young Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s outstanding innings and Yashasvi Jaiswal coming into form. But apart from that, there hasn’t been much. Sanju Samson has been injured, and no one else has stepped up. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians looked like a champion side with the team they played today. Now they are at the top of the table, and this is how they should have been playing from the start.”
JioStar expert Ambati Rayudu on Mumbai Indians’ performance:
“Success of Mumbai Indians comes from smart planning—look at the number of short balls they bowled today, which is rare at Wankhede. But they understood the conditions and executed well. When it comes to the business end of the IPL, Mumbai Indians get into a trance — they stick to roles, play to their strengths, and handle pressure better than most. Once they make it to the play-offs, they’re a dangerous team. You can pick 9–10 individual match-winners in their playing XI.”
Ajay Jadeja on Rohit Sharma’s composed knock:
“Mumbai would love to have Rohit Sharma scoring consistently. Today, he showed great experience — he took a few balls to settle in and built a steady partnership. Despite a cautious start, they were 58 for no loss in six overs. This was a more adaptive approach from Rohit, who usually pushes hard early on. It was smart cricket based on pitch conditions. And when you have a base of 100+, imagine bringing in Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, or Tilak Varma.”
Ambati Rayudu on Suryakumar Yadav’s versatility:
“The kind of pressure Suryakumar Yadav puts on bowlers is enormous. Bowlers have dealt with big hitters and clever batters, but he’s both. He can go straight down the ground or behind the wicketkeeper — he’s got the versatility. He never lets bowlers dominate, regardless of conditions. That’s what makes him special.”
Ambati Rayudu previewed Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad clash:
“In the last match, Sunrisers Hyderabad did well against a struggling Chennai Super Kings, but moving forward, their batting must fire big. They’ll be up against Gujarat Titans, who are in top form, especially with their bowling attack. It won’t be easy — they’ll have their task cut out.”
