Starting with a Fun fact: The logo of Mumbai Indians involves Sudarshan Chakra (Razor) because the team’s name was kept Mumbai Razors before the start of the inaugural edition of IPL, but Sachin Tendulkar suggested to change the name to Mumbai Indians.
The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League is just around the corner, and it’s time we create some buzz by analyzing the team who were the champions of the last season. Yes, you guessed it right, the team we are talking about is Mumbai Indians. They are four times champions and will be coming into this season eyeing 5th title win. But do they have the players this year that can take the legacy of the team forward? Let’s find out!
New Additions
The men in blue spent Rs 11.1 crores in this year’s auction. Most of it was spent acquiring Aussie paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile who was paid a whopping amount of Rs 8 crores. Chris Lynn, another explosive Aussie batsman, was also added by Mumbai Indians to their existing pool of players for Rs 2 crores, which should be considered a steal, keeping in mind the kind of player he is.
Youngsters Digvijay Deshmukh, Mohsin Khan, and Prince Balwant Rai Singh, who have shown their worth in the domestic circuit, were also brought to the squad for Rs 20 lakh each. Saurabh Tiwary, another aggressive batsman, was also added to the side for the base price of Rs 50 lakh.
Batting- A Powerhouse
Rohit Sharma led side is inarguably the best among all IPL teams if we talk about batting. The depth in their batting is one of the things they can boast of. Rohit Sharma and Quinton de-Kock are expected to go all guns blazing at the start of innings. Chris Lynn, the former KKR opener, is also in MI’s squad this year, but it would be interesting to see if he finds a place in playing XI at the start of the season. Take a look at the 5 Opening Combinations we have predicted for the Mumbai based team for this season.
The middle order of MI is one of their most significant assets. Pandya brothers have been magnificent for them since the time they debuted, and this year is going to be no different. Kieron Pollard’s place had been under scrutiny in the recent past, but the way ‘Big Man’ is playing in Caribbean Premier League this season could lead to his reemergence.
Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan are excellent players of spin and can strike the ball with ease. With IPL taking place in UAE this year, they could also be very handy for their franchise. Saurabh Tiwary, who announced his presence while he played for MI in his starting years, would also be looking to regain his lost charm.
Pace Bowling- Top-Notch
Pace Bowling Of Mumbai Indians can challenge any batting lineup on any surface. Even without Lasith Malinga, they can rattle their opponents. Jasprit Bumrah has been performing consistently for MI for years and with Trent Boult drafted to the squad this year, he would become even more powerful and effective.
Then, they have Mitchell McClenaghan, who had a significant role to play in Mumbai Indians’ success. James Pattinson, who came in as a replacement of Malinga, can be a right fit into MI’s squad looking at the UAE’s slow and sluggish wickets.
Veteran Dhawal Kulkarni and youngster Digvijay Deshmukh are some domestic options available, but you would see them warming benches on most occasions looking at the other options MI has.
Spin Bowling- Just Ordinary
Mumbai Indians’ spin bowling lacks experience. They have Krunal Pandya, who has been playing for them for years now, but he doesn’t spin the bowl much, and the wickets of UAE might not favor him. Rahul Chahar, who had been a premium spinner for MI for the past two years, would again have much responsibility on his shoulders, and a lot would depend on him keeping in mind the IPL is being held in UAE.
Jayant Yadav and Anukul Roy will also get to play some matches and want to make the most of the handful of opportunities they get.
What To Expect?
The side led by Rohit Sharma would be a force to reckon with. They are top contenders to win the 13th edition of IPL. Spinners are their only concern, but they can outshine any of their opponents in other departments.
Their batting and bowling are a class apart, and if things don’t go drastically wrong for them, there is no one stopping the side in blue from lifting their 5th IPL title and breaking the ritual of winning the cup only in odd years.
Complete Squad
Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya, Anukul Roy, Dhawal Kulkarni, Anmolpreet Singh, Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah, Jayant Yadav, Kieron Pollard, James Pattinson, Krunal Pandya, Mitchell McClenaghan, Quinton de Kock, Saurabh Tiwary, Aditya Tare, Sherfane Rutherford, Suryakumar Yadav, Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mohsin Khan, Rahul Shahar, Digvijay Deshmukh, Prince Balwant Rai Singh, Chris Lynn
Support Staff
Head Coach- Mahela Jayawardene
Director of Cricket Operations- Zaheer Khan
Batting Mentor- Sachin Tendulkar
Batting Coach- Robin Singh
Bowling Coach- Shane Bond
Fielding Coach- James Pamment
Physiotherapist- Nitin Patel
Strength and Conditioning Coach- Paul Chapman
Assistant Physiotherapist- Ashutosh Nimse
Assistant Trainer- Nagendra Prasad
Video Analyst- L.Varun
Nutritionist- Kinita Kadakia Patel
Sports Massage Therapist- Amit Shah
Team Manager- Rahul Sanghvi
