'This is just a reaction to the season' - Zaheer Khan on MI's auction strategy

With the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the firing line, a fair share of criticism has come their way for the auction strategy they chose to adopt prior to the season. While Ishan Kishan emerged as the highest buy, getting sold for Rs 15.25 crore, Jofra Archer fetched Rs 8 crore despite his unavailability for the season.

The Rohit Sharma-led side has registered a record seven-loss streak in the IPL 2022 with their premium buy Kishan failing to live up to the expectations. MI's youngsters have shone bright but the inconsistent delivery of the foreign players has not helped the franchise's cause.

Although the team's auction strategy has backfired, the Mumbai Indians Director of Cricket Operations Zaheer Khan openly came to the management's aid and asserted that the criticism is only a reaction to their campaign so far.

The former India pacer further added that had the moves paid off, there would have been no questions asked. Despite Mumbai's abject failure, Zaheer emphasised on not doing the over-analysis.

"This is just a reaction to the season. If we were in different position you would be saying how smart we are in terms of looking at stacking up and playing. That's the way things go, Whatever decisions we have taken, we have taken with the short term and long term vision in mind," Zaheer said as quoted in a virtual press conference.

"So, I won't look at kind of doing over-analysis around how we have gone about leading up to the season," he added.

Zaheer backed the players to come good in the upcoming games and did not pin-point on any individual for the defeats in the ongoing tournament.

"I am not going to start doubting any individual. I will back them through and through and you will see that in this season as well," Zaheer mentioned.

Mumbai Indians' next clash is scheduled against Lucknow Super Giants on April 24 at Wankhede Stadium.