STRENGTHS
Core of the Squad
The reason why Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings have been so successful over the years in the league is that they have the core of the team intact year after year. The teams simply make minor changes around their main players in the auction and they are good to go.
Batting Depth
CSK have a pleothra of batting talents and that could help them fire into the latter stages of the tournament. Chennai have got as many as eight batsmen in their ranks who have scored at least 1000 runs in the league and that speaks in itself what kind of batting prowess they possess. Raina (4540), Dhoni (3560), Watson (2622), Vijay (2511), Rayudu (2416) all have score buckeload of runs in the competition and they also bring along with tons of experience that will give the likes of Kedar Jadhav and Sam Billings ample time to bed in show what they can do in the shortest format of the game.
Spinners
Over the years, spinners have caused problems a plenty for the batsmen in IPL as the tweakers are a bit hard to hit on slow Indian wickets as compared to the pacers and this is that department in which CSK are filled up to the brim. They have an off-spinner in Harbhajan Singh, who is the third highest-wicket taker in the history of the league; they have successful leg-spinners like Karn Sharma and Imran Tahir also in their ranks and not to forget all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who remains one of the best as far a bowling is concerned.
WEAKNESSES
Experience-Inexperience Paradox
While Chennai's strength lies in the number of experienced stars, their weakness lies with the number of inexperienced stars that they bought in the auction — this is the kind of paradox that CSK find themselves stuck in. Out of 24 players that they have on their roster, CSK have nine players who haven't played a single game in the IPL prior to this season. Also, 11 players in their squad are above 30 in a format which is known to aid the young guns (at least on the field).
Lack of Pace
While on one hand, CSK have plenty of options in the spin department, but on the other, they lack serious firepower as far as pace bowling is concerned. The likes of Lungi Ngidi and Mark Wood have been good on the international stage, however, both remain unknown quantities in the league as they are yet to take their maiden bow.
TRUMP CARD
After 10 trophy-laden seasons with Mumbai Indians, Harbhajan Singh will be eager to show the defending champions what they are missing kind of a player they opted to let go.
Also, his economy rate of under seven is one of the best in the competition. Not just that, the India spinner is more than capable of bludgeoning the ball out of the park as well and he also has a fifty to his name in league. Great with the ball and handy with the bat, just the kind of player a captain wants to have in the side to balance the playing XI.
PREDICTION
If Dhoni manages to get the young stars to gel with the experienced ones and the senior batsmen fire on all cylinders, expect CSK to once again finish in the top-half of the league. But as far as winning the title is concerned, on paper, they aren't as balanced as they were known to be previously.
New Delhi: Defending Champions Mumbai Indians will once again start the tournament as one of the favourites to lift the crown in the forthcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Possessing one of the most balanced squads in the league, Mumbai will certainly feel confident despite few of their star players getting bought by other teams in the auction, that took place in January.
STRENGTHS
Retained Core
The reason why Mumbai have been the most successful team in the past is because they have somehow managed to keep their core intact year after year and the strategy has yielded three titles in ten seasons. This time as well, Mumbai played their cards well and the likes of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Pandya brothers, Keiron Pollard and Saurabh Tiwary are there in the squad, and they can hit the ground running as familiarising with each other won't be an issue.
Batting Prowess
Mumbai Indians' batting prowess is sure to send chills down the spine of bowlers across the teams in the competition. The defending champions have power-hitters like Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma, Saurabh Tiwary, JP Duminy, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya and Kieron Pollard. Any of these big names can take the game away from the opposition in a blink of an eye, as they have shown time and time again in the past.
Pace Battery
With so many top-class pace bowlers to choose from, Mumbai will have an happy headache as to who all will make it into the playing XI. Jasprit Bumrah is widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, bowler in the shortest format of the game, while all-rounder Hardik Pandya is a as reliable with the ball as with a blade in hand.
WEAKNESSES
Spinners
While they have a lot of high profile pacers in the line-up, Mumbai lack serious firepower when it comes to the spin department. The likes of Anukul Roy, Akila Dananjaya and Mayank Markande are untested quantities in the league, while Rahul Chahar has some experience of playing in IPL but he too lacks in multiple departments.
Wicket-keepers
Another department where Mumbai could be found wanting is not having a quality wicket-keeper batsman in their squad. While they have Ishan Kishan and Aditya Tare in their ranks, the duo have a combined experience of just 51 IPL matches between them. Moreover, the duo haven't really set the league alight in previous seasons with the bat either as Tare has scored just 339 runs in 35 matches spread across six seasons, while on the other hand, Ishan has scored 319 in 16 matches that he managed to play in two seasons.
Retained Core
The reason why Mumbai have been the most successful team in the past is because they have somehow managed to keep their core intact year after year and the strategy has yielded three titles in ten seasons. This time as well, Mumbai played their cards well and the likes of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Pandya brothers, Keiron Pollard and Saurabh Tiwary are there in the squad, and they can hit the ground running as familiarising with each other won't be an issue.
Batting Prowess
Mumbai Indians' batting prowess is sure to send chills down the spine of bowlers across the teams in the competition. The defending champions have power-hitters like Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma, Saurabh Tiwary, JP Duminy, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya and Kieron Pollard. Any of these big names can take the game away from the opposition in a blink of an eye, as they have shown time and time again in the past.
Pace Battery
With so many top-class pace bowlers to choose from, Mumbai will have an happy headache as to who all will make it into the playing XI. Jasprit Bumrah is widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, bowler in the shortest format of the game, while all-rounder Hardik Pandya is a as reliable with the ball as with a blade in hand.
WEAKNESSES
Spinners
While they have a lot of high profile pacers in the line-up, Mumbai lack serious firepower when it comes to the spin department. The likes of Anukul Roy, Akila Dananjaya and Mayank Markande are untested quantities in the league, while Rahul Chahar has some experience of playing in IPL but he too lacks in multiple departments.
Wicket-keepers
Another department where Mumbai could be found wanting is not having a quality wicket-keeper batsman in their squad. While they have Ishan Kishan and Aditya Tare in their ranks, the duo have a combined experience of just 51 IPL matches between them. Moreover, the duo haven't really set the league alight in previous seasons with the bat either as Tare has scored just 339 runs in 35 matches spread across six seasons, while on the other hand, Ishan has scored 319 in 16 matches that he managed to play in two seasons.
TRUMP CARD
With so many game-changers in their line-up, it is hard to pick just one X-factor player of Mumbai Indians but Hardik Pandya just shades Jasprit Bumrah just because of his all-round abilities. The reason why his national skipper Virat Kohli is a fan because Hardik balances out a playing XI perfectly.
PREDICTION
At this point in time, it is hard to argue that Mumbai Indians won't be featuring in the blockbuster finale that is scheduled to be played on May 27. Mumbai seem to be one of the most balanced sides in the league on paper and having a leader in Rohit Sharma — who has a win rate of 60% as captain of Mumbai Indians — seriously enhances the prospects of the team going past the finishing line come the D-day. However, the onus will be on the blue brigade to match history as previously, only Chennai Super Kings have won back to back titles and Mumbai are standing on the brink of a similar achievement.
At this point in time, it is hard to argue that Mumbai Indians won't be featuring in the blockbuster finale that is scheduled to be played on May 27. Mumbai seem to be one of the most balanced sides in the league on paper and having a leader in Rohit Sharma — who has a win rate of 60% as captain of Mumbai Indians — seriously enhances the prospects of the team going past the finishing line come the D-day. However, the onus will be on the blue brigade to match history as previously, only Chennai Super Kings have won back to back titles and Mumbai are standing on the brink of a similar achievement.