"It will be difficult for MI to qualify"- Michael Vaughan

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan doesn't think the Mumbai Indians (MI) will qualify to the IPL 2021 playoffs. Rohit Sharma's team have had a tough second leg of the IPL 2021 season and are placed seventh in the IPL standings at the time of writing.

Michael Vaughan believes MI's biggest problem has been their out-of-form batting line-up. The likes of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav have failed to remain consistent with the bat and that has affected their season so far.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, here's what Michael Vaughan had to say about MI's playoff chances.

"It is difficult for Mumbai now because if they beat Rajasthan, then they have to depend on Rajasthan to beat KKR which is probably not going to happen.

"You never know with Mumbai. They are probably one team that could sneak in. But it's a long shot. They just haven't played well. Their batting in the UAE has just not arrived.

"Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav, don't know where their form has gone. They just haven't been the team that we all have come to expect."

MI should back their core players: Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan feels that for the last couple of games, MI should focus on playing their core team that won them the title last season.

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He believes the likes of Kishan can find form and needs to be shown faith in. If MI stick to their core, Vaughan thinks there is a slim but genuine chance for them to qualify.

"MI should absolutely go back to the core team. You got two chances to still qualify. Just go back to what they know in terms of the batting line-up. Everything that they thought would work for them at the start of the UAE leg go right back to that core.

"I do see the likes of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav could find form because they are good players. Just stick with that combination," Michael Vaughan concluded.

Mumbai Indians play the Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday in Sharjah. Their last game of the league phase will be against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday.