Rajasthan Royals sit second last on the 2020 IPL table with a 2-3 record having lost three in a row, while reigning champions Mumbai Indians are on top of the table with a 4-2 record.
Mumbai improved that record on Tuesday night led by Player of the Match Suryakumar Yadav who blasted an unbeaten 79no from 47 balls to help his side reach 4-193.
Yadav was struck on the head by Jofra Archer but continued on, responding with a stunning lap six over the wicketkeeper, finishing with 11 fours and two sixes.
In reply, struggling Rajasthan were bowled out for 136 with 11 balls left, with Jos Buttler top scoring with 70 from 44, while the batting order fell around him, slumping to 3-12 at one point.
Smith was among those to fail, making only 6 from 7 balls, while Sanju Samson got a duck, so the return of all-rounder Stokes from his six-day quarantine after being with his family in New Zealand can’t come soon enough.
“We haven’t been able to get a good start in the last three games so outside of Jos and Jofra at the end, we’ve got work to do,” Smith said.
“Stokes is not out till the 10th. He’s not too far away. Hopefully we can get a few wins and get some momentum before he comes in.
“I don’t think we need to panic too much. It’s just about implementing our plans and playing good cricket for longer.
“It hasn’t been a good last three games. We need to turn it around and get some momentum.”
Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma praised Yadav, who had only managed 101 runs from five innings prior to this match, for his creative knock which set up the win.
“It was coming (for Yadav),” Sharma said. “I spoke to him today before the match. He was batting really well all these games.
“It was all about shot-making - today his shot-making was perfect. All the innovative shots at the end came in handy.”