NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians will go into the next IPL season as underdogs who must win back the trust of their fans, said the franchise’s newly appointed batting coach Robin Uthappa. On Friday, Uthappa was named the new batting coach of the franchise and will join the backroom staff headed by Kieron Pollard.
“And today, we find ourselves back in that similar situation right now where the trust of the fans need to be earned again. We come in again as underdogs. It’s been one full cycle, and we’re back to where we started again, which is nice,” Uthappa said in a video released by the franchise on Friday.
Uthappa was part of Mumbai’s squad in the first season of the IPL in 2008, where he scored 320 runs from 14 matches at an average of 35.55 and a strike rate of 114.69. He has watched the franchise grow from a side still finding its feet into one of the most successful teams in the league with five titles.
“Would have loved to be a longer part of the playing journey, but I’ve seen Mumbai go through earning the trust and the faith of the fans, to becoming champions, and then winning consistently and becoming one of the best franchises in the world, from a winning perspective,” he added.
Uthappa went on to turn out for five more IPL franchises and won the title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014 and Chennai Super Kings in 2021, and finished with 4,952 runs from 205 IPL matches. He said beginning his coaching career at the franchise that gave him his first IPL break was something meant to happen.
“I am just genuinely happy to be back. Thrilled about this and delighted to have this opportunity to work with this special set of cricketers and this franchise. Incredible, and it just feels like destiny, to be honest. As in, I started my IPL career with Mumbai Indians and I start my IPL coaching career with Mumbai Indians, which seems like destiny to me.”
He recalled finding out about his auction pick while on national duty overseas, and the thrill of being in the same team with Sachin Tendulkar. “So back in 2008, when I got into the franchise, I remember we were in Australia, playing the CB Series in Australia when the auctions happened, and I knew that I was going to be playing with my hero, Sachin Tendulkar, and with Paaji over here.
“So for me, that was really exciting feeling, because everyone was finding their feet in that first season, and including the franchises and players and teams, and the IPL itself. We had, I would say, a fairly decent season, could have been better.
“We had injuries, and Paaji (Sachin Tendulkar) missed a big part of that tournament, and then Bhajjupa (Harbhajan Singh) captained as well, and Sanath (Sanath Jayasuriya) played really well, Polly (Shaun Pollock) played really well.”
For the climb back, especially with MI not winning an IPL title after 2020, Uthappa has set his sights on making MI as feared on the road as they are when playing at the Wankhede Stadium. “We’re a force to reckon with at home. I want to take that same emotion, that same energy to every venue away from home. My goal would be, or my vision would be to make sure that that sense of intimidation that teams feel when they come to Mumbai Indians, to the Paltan.
“I want them to feel that same intimidation when we go away from home as well. And to be able to be on the same side of the Mumbai Indians fans. On the same side of the Paltan. So I’m looking forward to playing a part in that journey of earning the fans’ trust back and making sure that this underdog journey will be one to be remembered.”
Uthappa also said much of his work would be with the domestic players in the squad. “The confidence to express yourself with freedom is what I would love to or empower domestic cricketers with, and help them get clarity. That’s one of the most important aspects that young cricketers, perhaps maybe because of my own experience, I’m saying this, that young cricketers need at this point in time: clarity of what they want to do, how they want to do it, and what is the process by which they’re going to achieve those aspects.
“You’re also emotionally investing in their own journey, and then you’re rooting for them. You want them to do well. And so when they do well, it feels like personal achievement. I remember when one of the lads I was working with and mentoring got picked up in the Indian Test squad, it felt like I got selected.
“It felt that emotional. That’s something that I’m looking forward to, especially with domestic cricketers. And communication is a big part of it, and those are conversations I’m genuinely looking forward to,” he concluded.