Though time is slowly running out for Mumbai Indians (MI), the kind of reputation the five-time champions have built over the years, nobody dare write them off. Languishing on ninth spot with just three wins from nine games, they cannot afford to lose any of their remaining five games, beginning with tonight’s clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Stadium.

Poor form, injuries and discontent within the squad had afflicted the team even before the IPL got underway. In the past, MI have been in a similar situation which required them to win seven matches in a row to make the playoffs and they achieved it under now-deposed captain Rohit Sharma. The question in everybody’s mind is can current skipper Hardik Pandya replicate the feat?