Mumbai Indians (MI) all-rounder Will Jacks has thanked captain Hardik Pandya and head coach Mahela Jayawardene for instilling confidence in his bowling. Jacks has been handy with the ball in the ongoing IPL 2025 having scalped six wickets from seven innings.
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00:00The camp is feeling good. We've been nicely progressing throughout the whole competition.
00:07Obviously we were playing well then we had the break and since we've come back we've been feeling good.
00:12We feel like we've just fit back into how we were before.
00:15Obviously every team wants to finish as high as possible.
00:18We're very happy to be qualified and we've got an important game tomorrow.
00:22The other three teams you see, after that break, after that one and a half week break,
00:27there's been a loss of momentum for the top teams.
00:30You see they've all suffered one loss each.
00:33This is your second game you guys will play since that game against Delhi Capitals.
00:37So what is in your control to prevent that drop in momentum?
00:42It's just another game. Every game we play we focus and we approach in the same way.
00:46It doesn't matter whether it was the first game or the last group game.
00:49So we've prepared well for each and every opposition and we'll be doing the same getting ready for tomorrow.
00:54Speaking about Mumbai's batting line-up, I think it's one of the strongest among all the ten teams in the league.
01:00You have international players right through from one to six.
01:03So what kind of role have you been looking to do for the team this season and are you satisfied with how that has gone out so far?
01:10Yeah, my role has been flexible. I've been obviously at number three or sometimes I have to go down later but that's completely fine with me.
01:18I'm happy to play whatever role the team needs me to do.
01:21Like you say, we've got an incredibly strong batting line-up and sometimes that means that some situations are better suited to other players.
01:29You have to be comfortable and be flexible as a player. I've loved my time. I've been really happy.
01:36It's such a brilliant batting line-up to be a part of and only positives have come out of it.
01:41A couple of words about sharing the dressing room with Surya. Of course it's been one of the massive seasons where he scored 500 plus runs.
01:50I think he's contributed 25 plus in every game he's played so far. So can you tell us a couple of how it is to play along with him?
01:56What is it that makes him such a good T20 batter?
01:58I think he's absolutely brilliant and like you say, he's had a fantastic season. To be consistent in every game as he has is really tricky. We all know that.
02:07So it's very special what he's done. He's batting now out there. He's a very hard worker. He prepares each different venue and each bowl he's going to play.
02:16He has his plan and he sticks to that. So I'd say that's contributed a lot to his consistency and starting fresh every game.
02:23He's very flexible. He can bat in the power play at the end. He played a brilliant innings the other day right through the innings.
02:30So I think being able to be adaptable and be in every situation that's really contributed to his consistency.
02:37I've definitely learned a lot from watching T20 and he's been very open in the changing room as well.
02:42I saw you throw down a couple just before the press conference here. How's it coming out from the hand and how crucial do you think your contribution with the ball is going to be for the team?
02:52Yeah, it's been good. It's been a really good comp. I'm happy with the amount I've bowled.
02:57I've had mixes of success and that's T20 cricket. You have to accept as a bowler you're often going to be looking over your head.
03:05So that's just it. You have to park it and move on to the next one.
03:08Yeah, I've been given a lot of confidence and a lot of control in my bowling by captain and coach.
03:15So it's been, I felt very relaxed out there. And like I say, the heartache has been picking me up when I've been out there and giving me that boost and I've been really happy with it.
03:26One last question. Are you big on match-ups and is your Mumbai Indians as a team? Because we see so many fingerspinners these days in the IPL.
03:35Someone suddenly springs to mind is Sai Kishore for GT, who doesn't necessarily bowl his quota of overs depending on the match-ups with the batters batting at that point.
03:44So how big are you on match-ups?
03:46I think it's not just so simple as that. There's a lot of other factors that come into play with that.
03:52There's obviously the pitch, the ground size, the wind. There's a lot of stuff that isn't just out there.
03:57So it's not just as simple as a lefty can't bowl, a lefty etc. So there's a lot more that goes into that.
04:03I think every finger spinner who turns it into the bat has, you're going into that battle on the back foot a little bit and you have to practice really hard and come up with different thoughts and plans.
04:13So it's more of a mental battle when it comes to that. Match-ups are obviously very important, we know that.
04:20Anya?