IPL 2022 Mumbai Indians preview: Rohit Sharma-led old guard the key as MI hunt for sixth title – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Mumbai Indians are the most successful team in the Indian Premier League (IPL). They have won the title an unprecedented five times. They have won more matches than any franchise in the league. One of the reasons for their staggering success is their core. Over the years, Mumbai kept faith in their core, retained them and the players repaid that faith in kind. Even during the ups and downs, the franchise stuck by them. Another reason is the consistency in their selection. They hardly tinker with their line-up, unless there is an irresistible temptation to go for a match-up (Like playing Jayant Yadav against left-hand heavy sides).

However, this time around things are different. Earlier, MI was able to retain a larger core but we had the mega auctions this year and all the teams went through a major revamp. A maximum of only four players were allowed to be retained which meant the franchises had to undergo a major rebuilding process at the auction.

Mumbai retained captain Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. And they had to let go of the likes of Quinton de Kock, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Trent Boult, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Chahar, Nathan Coulter-Nile who formed a vital cog in their wheel over the years.

Mumbai Indians are without top players like Hardik and Krunal Pandya for IPL 2022. Sportzpics

They went all out to buy back Kishan at the auction, shelling out 15.25 crores, making him the most expensive buy in the 2022 auction. Kishan has been riding a crest of a wave of late and is someone who symbolises the modern aggressive T20 approach. It wasn’t a surprise that he sparked a bidding war. Mumbai were relentless in their approach and won the bid.

Kishan was the only one from the core group Mumbai could re-sign. Which makes their core group smaller than the ones before. MI went easy on the first day of the auction but with a larger purse available on the second day, they went aggressive and bought some exciting names like Jofra Archer, Dewald Brevis and Tim David.

There is a mix of youth and experience in the side. However, compared to their earlier squads, this one looks a little less formidable. As they head into the 15th season, the old guard — Rohit, Suryakumar, Pollard, Kishan and Bumrah — will be the key. They have been in this franchise for years and know this team inside out. And were a part of the engine that made the franchise fast and furious.

In Rohit, MI has a captain with a good mix of tactical nous and instincts. He is the third-highest run-getter in the league with 5611 runs at an average of 31.17 and a strike rate (SR) of 130.39. He would look to add more consistency to his IPL repertoire. Pollard has been a part of the franchise since its 2010 and is a leader who possesses an impressive SR of 149.77. And Bumrah is simply the best all-format bowler in the world right now. Suryakumar has been consistently scoring runs over the last few years and provides that spark and flamboyance in the middle overs while Kishan can hit around the park at the top.

After winning the title two seasons in a row, MI had a blip last season as they failed to qualify for the play-offs. One of the major reasons was that their batting didn’t click consistently. Only one batter (who played more than five matches), averaged over 30 — Pollard (30.62). And that’s why this time around the contribution of the top 3 — Rohit, Kishan and Suryakumar will be crucial.

They have the power-hitters in the middle order who can hit big with the likes of Pollard, David and Fabian Allen. Pollard has the ability to play blinders and win matches single-handedly. Mumbai shelled out a massive 8.5 crore for David. The Singaporean has been a globe trotter in the T20 leagues around the world. He’s played for Hobart Hurricanes, Perth Scorchers, St Lucia Kings, Multan Sultans, Lahore Qalandars and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

David possesses a formidable strike rate of 159.36 in T20s and averages a healthy 33.87. He didn’t get many chances last season playing for RCB but might get sufficient game time this around. And if he gets going, expect a few ‘lost balls’ and umpire’s calling for ‘new balls please’ every now and then. He can bowl off spin as well.

Allen can also hit them long and provides the left-arm spin option. There is Australian all-rounder Daniel Sams as well who provides the left-arm pace option along with the ability to score quickly. He hit 16 sixes in the 2021-22 BBL playing for Sydney Thunder and possessed a SR of 161.86. He also picked up 19 wickets from 15 matches, the most for Sydney Thunder. Overall he possesses a healthy strike rate of 150.21 in T20s and has a decent bowling average of 23.51. He has the tendency to go for runs but does provide wickets.

However all the three — David, Sams and Allen are relatively untested in the league and it would be interesting to see how quickly they adapt to the league which is different from others and carries more pressure.

MI will need them to replicate what the Pandya brothers did over the years. The lack of an experienced Indian all-rounder is also a factor. N Tilak Varma could be in the mix. He was bought for 1.7 crore by MI. Relatively inexperienced but he’s impressed in his nascent career so far. He averaged 35.83 in the 2021-22 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring at a strike rate of 147.26. While in the 2020-22 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 180 runs at 36 including a century and picked up four wickets. He could slot into that middle order and bowl off-spin.

Then there is Tamil Nadu all-rounder Sanjay Yadav who has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket. But again, relatively inexperienced and untested on the big stage.

With lack of league experience in that middle-order, the onus will be on the top order to shoulder the responsibility.

The bowling department could be a potential banana peel for MI. They don’t have the big names to support Bumrah. In Tymal Mills, MI will have the left-arm angle and he will most probably form a part of pace trio consisting of veteran Jaydev Unadkat who is a left-arm pacer as well. Mills had a decent BBL 2021-22 campaign, picking up 12 wickets from 7 matches at 15.83 and an economy rate of 7.35 playing for Perth Scorchers who went on to lift the trophy. He however went for plenty in the T20I series against West Indies at the start of the year, picking just one wicket from three matches and conceding at 11.12 runs an over. Unadkat’s variations could be handy as the tournament progresses and the pitches get slower.

Riley Meredith provides the right-arm fast bowling option and extra pace as well. In the spin department as well, there is no big name present. In the past though, MI have had the most of the resources at hand and played a part in developing young spinners who have impressed. Markande was a part of the setup for two years in 2018 and 2019 and impressed in his debut season for the franchise. The other spin option who could be in fray is Murugan Ashwin. He is not the sort of wicket-taking bowler that Markande is but one who provides control with the holding role. He has a middling record in the league, averaging 33.88 from 34 matches, picking 26 wickets and possessing an economy rate of 7.86. Yadav provides the left-arm spin bowling option.

MI built their team in the auction with an eye on future. They bought Jofra Archer knowing that he won’t be able to play this season due to injuries. The prospect of Bumrah and Archer bowling in tandem is mouth-watering. They have the young talent in Dewald Brevis of South Africa, known as ‘Baby AB’ for the striking similarities he shares with the legend AB de Villiers. He finished as the highest run-getter in the 2021 U-19 World Cup (scoring 506 runs from 6 matches at 84.33) and is touted for greatness in the future.

For this season, MI on paper might not look as formidable as their teams of the past which once had giants like Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Shaun Pollock. But regardless of the conditions and situation, MI have this knack for always finding a way. This time, the onus lies on the old guard to guide the team past the finish line.

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, N Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Fabian Allen/Sanjay Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Tymal Mills/Daniel Sams, Mayank Markande/Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah