“It has been a season of what-ifs”: Kieron Pollard
The 2026 season for Mumbai Indians was a real rollercoaster. It began with a statement win at Wankhede versus Kolkata Knight Riders where we broke that first match jinx. We set the tone for this year with a performance full of intent and belief. There were setbacks that followed, contests that slipped away after gaining momentum initially and nights where margins simply refused to go the Mumbai Indians way. We were simply out of luck this season no matter what we tried. 💔
Every time the pressure mounted, the Men in Blue and Gold found a way to respond, none bigger than the spirited comeback and the massive win against the Gujarat Titans. Throughout the season, this unit showed flashes of brilliance, good batting, fearless spells and unforgettable individual performances. 💪
Unfortunately, we were not able to turn these positive glimpses into further victories. Our final league game at the big W, ESA (Education and Sports for All) day once again brought hope, joy and happiness to 20,000 kids who lived their dream, watching their favourite cricketing heroes on field, making memories far bigger than the end result. 🥹
Through highs and lows, you never stopped cheering for us and for that, तुमचे मनःपूर्वक आभार, Paltan! 💙#MumbaiIndians #OneFamily pic.twitter.com/4k3adLEWzF
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 24, 2026
It may not have been the season we envisioned, but through every heartbreak or win, the spirit of the Paltan never faded, which we as a team are very grateful for. Speaking at the press conference after our final league game, Batting Coach Kieron Pollard reflected honestly on the season gone by, acknowledging the inconsistent performances but also reflected that every setback only fuels hunger to rise again.
He said, “It has been a season of what-ifs and overall, it has been disappointing for all of us. Fans and everyone else would have also felt the same. We were not good throughout the tournament. We were not able to pull off wins and use the momentum when we had it. If you look at it rationally, we did not play the good MI brand of cricket through the whole season.”
“Everyone needs that space to think, reflect, recollect and make an assessment where it all went wrong for us. That is how better decision making is going to come about.”
The season ends here, but the hunger to rise and sparkle again burns brighter than ever in Blue and Gold. 💙
