In Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, the Mumbai Indians had the best retentions. MI came into this auction with a good amount.
While they got their core back, their squad has a much different look than earlier seasons. Experience has given place to youth. The franchise comes into this tournament as the youngest squad.
The best team in the history of IPL may have a steep challenge to defend their title. However, they have a strong bowling unit like every season. Tournament’s best bowler Lasith Malinga is a member of the backroom staff for this season.
It must be seen if Rohit Sharma can inspire his troops to IPL glory this season. If his trusted colonels fail to fire, it can be a tough season for the defending champions.
Franchise profile
Captain: Rohit Sharma
Coach: Mahela Jayawardene
Squad: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Krunal Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Kieron Pollard, Pat Cummins, Evin Lewis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ben Cutting, Mustafizur Rahman, Rahul Chahar, Pradeep Sangwan, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jean-Paul Duminy, Saurabh Tiwary, Tajinder Dhillon, Akila Dhananjaya, Nidheesh M D Dinesan, Aditya Tare, Siddhesh Dinesh Lad, Mayank Markande, Sharad Lumba, Anukul Roy, Mohsin Khan
Likely playing XI: Ishan Kishan, Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma, J P Duminy, Krunal Pandya, Keiran Pollard Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rahul Chahar, Mustafizur Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah
Key players: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah
Strengths
1) A set core from last season: Mumbai Indians were the best team of last IPL. In the process of winning the tournament, they won a record third IPL trophy. Their core players were instrumental in them clinching the title. They contributed in every department of the game for the side.
2) Flexibility in their batting: While assembling this side, MI have ensured that they have a flexible batting line- up with the possibility of multiple batsmen occupying multiple positions. This attribute was essential in the past when Kolkata Knight Riders won the tournament.
3) Death Bowling: Lasith Malinga’s toe-crushers will be missed this season. The Sri Lankan paceman returns as the bowling mentor of this season. To fill Malinga’s void, MI have acquired Bangladesh’s Mustafizur ‘Fizz’ Rahman.
Australia’s Pat Cummins is expected to be the backup for the Bangladeshi. With Bumrah and Fizz to bowl at the death, Mumbai Indians have arguably assembled the best death bowling attack of this tournament.
Both are immensely talented, possess outstanding variations and menacing yorkers. Fizz recently bowled one of the best T20 overs of all time when he gave away just one leg-bye and took a wicket in 18th over of recently concluded Nidahas Trophy final.
4) A good T20 side: Blistering openers, flexible batting line- up, more than one players to anchor the innings, more than one natural finishers and exciting death bowlers. Mumbai Indians on paper have covered nearly every base of a good T20 side.
This team may struggle in longer formats but appears an exciting line-up for the shortest format of the game. There proven match- winners with plenty to prove in this IPL. With an exciting and a talented bunch of players donning their jersey, Mumbai Indians can repeat their heroics of last season again.
Weakness
1) Lack of spin bowling options: Over the last ten seasons, Harbhajan Singh played a crucial role in Mumbai Indians’ success.
The Turbanator took 127 wickets in 136 innings at an economy rate of just under seven Over the seasons he was partnered effectively by Pragyan Ojha, Karn Sharma and Robin Peterson among others. This will be the Mumbai’s first season without the veteran off- spinner. For this season, MI appear short on experienced spinners.
Youngsters Anukul, Mohsin and Markande are inexperienced while Akeela has never played in the IPL.
Rahul Chahar, a legspinner acquired at around 400,000$ is expected to be the number one spinner in this side. He has played just three IPL matches until date. While he was impressive for India’s under-19 side and in India’s Interzonal T20 tournament where he scalped Yuvraj Singh and Gautam Gambhir among others, IPL is a tournament on another level.
Inexperience among their spinners is a striking chunk in Mumbai Indians’ otherwise strong squad.
2) Less number of recognised international batsmen: While attaining a squad with batsmen who can bat flexibly, Mumbai Indians appear to be lacking recognised international batsmen.
In case of a tricky chase, accelerating the innings or if one of their key batsmen gets injured, the team look short on alternatives. Mumbai Indians will hope that such a limitation does not hinder their campaign.
3) Overdependence on Bumrah and Rohit: In Bumrah and Rohit, Mumbai Indians have two of the best limited overs cricketers in the world. Bumrah has become a mainstay in India’s bowling attack partnering Bhuvaneshwar Kumar. Rohit, India’s limited overs’ vice-captain is an indispensable member of the national team.
Bumrah and Rohit are two of the reasons of India’s recent domination in limited overs cricket. While Mumbai Indians are an enviable team boasting these two, their young side may get too much dependent on these two. If Bumrah gets injured, Pradeep Sangwan is the only experienced Indian paceman as his cover. MI may need to play Cummins in that case disturbing the dynamics of the team.
As discussed in the second point, the team seems light on a prospective replacement if Rohit gets injured. A lot of Mumbai Indians’ fortunes rest on the form and fitness of these two cricketers.
(AP Photo/Gautam Singh)
Opportunities
1) Krunal Pandya- It has come as a surprise to many that Krunal Pandya is yet to get an India call-up. He was one of the best players of last season. The elder of Pandya brothers played a key role in last season’s IPL winning campaign. In his two seasons so far, Krunal has 480 runs at 158.41 with an average of around 37.
He also picked up 16 wickets at an economy rate of 7.15. A talented all-rounder, this can be the season when Krunal plays a bigger role in Mumbai Indians’ success.
He may play as the senior spinner with youngster Rahul Chahar as the other spinner in Mumbai’s side. Another good IPL should be enough for Krunal to book a spot in India’s T20 squad to England.
2) Suryakumar Yadav- Surya was touted as the next big thing in India’s domestic cricket during his debut 2010 season. An immensely talented batsman who bowled handily, Surya was touted to get in Indian team’s contention. However, inconsistency has ploughed his prospects so far.
Surya comes off a highly successful and consistent domestic campaign. He led his team from front to Mumbai T20 league’s glory and was very good in this domestic campaign for Mumbai. Surya made his debut for the MI during IPL 2012 and moved to Kolkata Knight Riders in 2013.
After playing a floater- finisher for KKR for last four seasons, Yadav comes back to Mumbai Indians. This season, Surya may be entrusted with an added batting responsibility with Mumbai Indians for their flexible batting order.
This can be the tournament where he justifies his talent and catches eye of Indian selectors.
3) Ishan Kishan- Eyebrows were raised when Mumbai Indians signed Ishan for just under $1.25 Million. This will be third IPL for this talented youngster. Still only 19, Kishan scored 319 runs in 16 innings at 129.14 for now defunct Gujarat Lions over two seasons.
He is also a regular member of Jharkhand’s domestic cricket team. His consistent performances for Lions and Jharkhand’s side have caught eyes of Indian team’s selectors.
He was a member of India A side in recently concluded 50-overs domestic tournament. Kishan is expected to open innings for the MI. A consistent IPL with impressive glovework can make him one of the contenders alongside Rishabh Pant as a long-term replacement for M S Dhoni.
4) Evin Lewis- Evin Lewis came into this IPL auction as one of the hottest names of cricket. One of the bargains of auctions, he signed for Mumbai Indians at just above 750000$. A highly influential cricketer, Lewis can have a Gayle-like impact on this IPL according to commentator Harsha Bhogle.
This left-handed opener will make his IPL debut this season. He is talented enough to win a few matches on his own.
He has been highly influential in the shortest format of the game. He has scored above 2500 runs at a strike rate of 146.06 with three centuries and 19 half centuries. two of these centuries have come against India while playing for West Indies.
He is already their first-choice opener alongside Chris Gayle. Strong performances in this tournament can raise the stocks further for this dashing southpaw. It will be interesting to see how performs during this IPL.
Threat
1) Form of Pandya brothers: Two best players for the MI during last season’s success were the Pandya brothers- Krunal and Hardik. Hardik’s brilliance and Krunal’s excellence was crucial for the defending champions during last season’s triumphant campaign.
They contributed in every department of the game. However, these two have been struggling for form in last few months. Krunal didn’t perform well in India’s interzonal T20 tournament and domestic 50 over tournament.
Hardik could not make the most out of his spot in India’s Test and limited overs team as well. A lot of Mumbai Indians’ fortunes rest on their ability to finish/ anchor the inning and bowl eight overs while saving a few runs in field. With a young squad this time, it can be a matter of headache if they fail to better their form.
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