The Mumbai Indians are a club that has gained attention due to some of the most significant adjustments they made between the previous and current seasons. The new captaincy is setting the example on that front. At least in public, Hardik Pandya is adamant that everything will be alright between him and current India captain Rohit Sharma, the former captain of MI. It’ll be possible to observe how that plays out during the season, but for now, it’s obvious that the Mumbai Indians are looking forward as they go through a transitional period.
In contrast to the national squad, there are several obstacles to overcome during transitions in franchise cricket due to the dynamics of the auction. This raises a number of issues, not the least of which is the tactical decisions that may be made. Will the new captain, for example, object to performing an impact sub with his predecessor? Or would the field need Rohit’s experience?
Apart from that, Mumbai has experienced numerous injuries to some of its starting players, much like they did the season before. On March 21, Suryakumar Yadav will have a fitness test to see whether he can participate, but in the interim, other options will have to be used, which will undoubtedly affect the rest of the lineup. With the abundance of talented batting players in the country, MI should ideally want to have a significant portion of their bowling contingent come from international players in addition to their lucky man, Jasprit Bumrah. Since some of their pacers are wrapped in cotton wool, even that possibility would need to be treated cautiously for the time being.
The season then forces them to wade through some murky waters on numerous fronts. Can they easily make it through?
Where in this cycle they have finished:2022: Tenth, 2023: Second Qualifier
Important arrivals include Gerald Coetzee, Luke Wood, Dilshan Madhushanka, Mohammad Nabi, and Hardik Pandya.
Important subtraction: Chris Jordan, Cameron Green (traded to RCB), and Jason Behrendoff (ruled out due to injury).
Entire Squad:
The players named in the list are: Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Nehal Wadhera, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Dewald Brevis, Naman Dhir, Shivalik Sharma, Shams Mulani, Mohammad Nabi, Arjun Tendulkar, Shreyas Gopal, Kumar Kartikeya, Luke Wood, Vishnu Vinod, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Nuwan Tushara, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Romario Shepherd, Diilshan Madhushanka
One statistic from the previous year that they should fix
MI bowlers were the most expensive bowling side last season, conceding at a rate of 9.41 per over. They let up six 200-plus totals, the most of any team in a single IPL season.
Keep an eye on Tilak Varma. The timing may be right for someone like Varma to take the lead going forward, as the young player has already outperformed many to be on the periphery of the national squad while the Mumbai Indians prepare for a transition period.
Accidents and accessibility:
It looks like Suryakumar Yadav will miss at least the first game. If Dilshan Madushanka’s injury doesn’t heal in time, he might also miss the early going. In addition, they would be concerned about Gerald Coetzee’s health as he is recovering from a groin ailment that will require attention during the competition.
Potential XI and Impact Player strategy
MI will need to adjust their lineup as best they can until Suryakumar Yadav is cleared to play, and it is irreversible to include all-rounders to fill the vacuum.
Potential starting eleven: Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Luke Wood, Hardik Pandya, Tim David, Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Nehal Wadhera, Mohammad Nabi, and Jasprit Bumrah
Depending on the situation, a pacer (Akash Madhwal) or a spinner (Kumar Kartikeya, Shreyas Gopal) could be substituted for a specialist batter (Wadhera).
