MI bowling coach says dropped catches are part of the game as Mumbai look to finish disappointing season on a high

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Paras Mhambrey has defended Deepak Chahar after his fielding errors during Mumbai Indians’ defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders, insisting the team will not single out individuals in a difficult season.

Mumbai’s ninth defeat in 13 matches ended their slim playoff hopes, but Mhambrey said the side’s focus remains on winning games and learning from mistakes rather than worrying about the points table.

“What we can control is going out there and playing quality cricket and trying to win games,” Mhambrey said after the loss. “We want to understand how to build a better team and take those lessons into the next match.”

Catching once again proved costly for MI, with Chahar involved in two fielding mix-ups during KKR’s chase.

The first came when Rovman Powell top-edged a pull shot, only for Chahar and Robin Minz to hesitate and let the ball fall safely between them.

Later, Chahar was involved in another miscommunication while chasing a scoop from Tejasvi Dahiya, with wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton nearly colliding with him as both players attempted the catch.

Despite the errors, Mhambrey refused to criticise Chahar publicly.

“No one drops catches on purpose. It’s part of the game,” he said. “I’m definitely not going to throw Deepak under the train for that.”

The MI coach pointed out that fielding mistakes happen across all teams and highlighted Corbin Bosch’s stunning catch earlier in the innings as an example of how good moments can balance out the bad ones.

According to available season data, Mumbai have actually been among the better fielding sides in IPL 2026, dropping 14 catches — fewer than several other franchises, including Punjab Kings, who lead the unwanted list.

Mhambrey also explained that players can sometimes overthink situations late in the game while trying to make an impact, which may have contributed to the confusion during the catches.

Mumbai now return to the Wankhede Stadium for their final league match against Rajasthan Royals, hoping to end a disappointing campaign with a win at home.