3 reasons why MI are the team to beat in IPL 2025 after win vs RR 

The most successful franchise in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Mumbai Indians, are on a roll in the ongoing edition of the season. They started their campaign with four defeats in the first five matches and it looked like their campaign was in shambles.

However, the turnaround has been much more dramatic. Six outright wins on a trot have put them at the top of the points table, with four points to their name and a very healthy net run rate, ahead of any of the other teams.

This is not the first time the five-time champions have completely turned the tables and become the most dominant force in the tournament. They are generally slow starters and have picked up their game at a very important juncture of the tournament.

They defeated the Rajasthan Royals by 100 runs in a one-sided contest to register their seventh win of the competition. RR was nowhere in the game right from the outset, with the batting department posting a massive 218 on the board.

Rajasthan had chased down a similar score not long ago, but the MI bowling attack proved to much for them. A 100-run victory also bolstered their net run rate immensely, which might play a massive role in deciding the top two teams. After the win against RR, MI certainly looks like the team to beat.

Here are three possible reasons why MI are the team to beat in the IPL 2025 after the win against Rajasthan Royals:

# 3.a The openers are firing all cylinders

Rohit Sharma has been in superb form in the last few games - Source: Getty

When MI lost four of their first five matches, their opening duo of Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma was struggling to score runs. They were getting out cheaply and were unable to provide the start the team needed to win matches against top teams.

Ever since the dramatic come-from-behind victory against the Delhi Capitals, which cracked their campaign open, we have seen a different Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma. While Rohit took a few more games to get among runs, Rickelton started making a significant difference, which allowed the middle order to play around him.

He scored 226 runs in the last six matches and has been a pivotal figure in MI’s turnaround. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma has turned his season around in a dramatic fashion, scoring four fifties in the last four games. The opening combination has played a big role in helping MI find its mojo back.

# 2. The whole team has contributed in some way or the other

Over the years, the Mumbai Indians have been arguably the most complete T20 team across the globe, and it's been due to the contribution of every player who has been part of the XI.

Right from the top with Rohit and Rickelton to Tilak Varma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Naman Dhir, all these batters have made vital contributions.

While the likes of Surya, Jacks, and Hardik have stood out in the middle order but under pressure, every batter has delivered. Corbin Bosch who recently made his debut for MI has gelled into the side perfectly and has already chipped in with crucial cameos and wickets.

Vignesh Puthur, who has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to an injury, made an impact in the early half of the tournament, while Ashwani Kumar has also chipped in with a few match-winning contributions.

Mitchell Santner has led from the front on tracks that have aided spin. It suggests that the team has all their bases covered and will be a tough team to beat unless they falter or don't perform to their desired calibre

# 1. Arguably the best pace trio in the competition

You just can't look beyond the trio of Deepak Chahar-Trent Boult-Jasprit Bumrah, who have been the major reason behind MI’s turnaround in the tournament. Each bowler has complemented the other, knowing the dynamics of the other bowler and delivering accordingly.

They have stuck to their plans, and that has yielded the results. Deepak Chahar has been used predominantly as a powerplay bowler, and on occasions, he has also bowled four overs on a trot. Trent Boult, who earlier played the role of a powerplay bowler for MI, had a slight change in his role.

While he has shared the new ball, he has been given much more responsibility at the death, where he has been simply phenomenal, nailing the yorkers at will. Meanwhile, Bumrah delivers at any given point in the game and keeps taking wickets, besides bowling economical spells. Given how strong their bowling line-up is, it will be difficult to beat them.