Mumbai Indians did most of the buying and retaining even before the mini auction began, which is why they entered the bidding war with the smallest purse of ₹2.75 Crore. Despite their limited purchase in the mini-auction, the MI side looks star-studded, with match-winners across their entire squad. Additionally, they managed to substantially consolidate their pace battery with the return of Shardul Thakur in exchange for Arjun Tendulkar with the Lucknow Super Giants. With the IPL season on the horizon, Scorzo reviews the team the Mumbai Indians have built this season.
Batsmen
The only surprise element in the Mumbai Indians batting unit is the return of Quinton De Kock at a steal price of ₹1cr. The South African is expected to open the innings with Rohit Sharma. Among other batting options at the disposal of MI are Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, and Ryan Rickelton. Bevon Jacobs in the middle order and Kamal Shrijith can also emerge handy during critical junctures of the tournament in case the regular starters miss out due to injuries. Rickelton and Minz provide bench strength in the wicketkeeping department.
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All Rounders
The all-round department for the 5-time IPL champions is probably one of the most elaborate and impeccable amongst IPL franchises this year. From skipper Hardik Pandya, Will Jacks, and Mitchell Santner, to Raj Angad Bava, and Vignesh Puthur, it’s a complete package in the all-round ranks that can steal wins from the jaws of defeat on any given day. The Ambani family-owned team are heavily relying on all-rounders this time around, and for all the obvious reasons. After all, it’s loaded with proven match winners and formidable home-grown and foreign cricketers.
Bowlers
Mumbai Indians have further added depth in their bowling department ahead of the new IPL season. The pace attack looks defiant with the inclusion of Shardul Thakur, who is bound to bring in more experience and consistency during the tricky middle overs in which the bowling department appeared out of options last time around. Deepak Chahar and Jasprit Bumrah are other Indian pace options for the Mumbai Indians who are sure starters during large parts of the season. Additionally, the squad is power-packed with overseas pacers like Trent Boult, Reece Topley, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Charith Asalanka, and Richard Gleeson, who bring in dynamic options and impeccable bench strength for the franchise as the tournament progresses.
Mumbai Indians will be backing their team and hoping that their ‘world-class’ squad can deliver silverware. They might have entered the auction table with the least amount of money. Still, they are surely among the perfectly rounded teams in the Indian Premier League following the festivities in Abu Dhabi.
