3 reasons why Mumbai Indians is the most successful franchise in IPL history

One of the most decorated teams in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, Mumbai Indians have four titles to their name (2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019). The team has appeared in IPL finals five times, and has won four of them under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma.

Mumbai Indians clinched their maiden title in 2013 by defeating Chennai Super Kings by 23 runs, followed by a 41-run victory against the same team in the 2015 final.

They became the first team to hold three titles in IPL history by triumphing against Rising Pune Supergiant by a single run in the 2017 final. They repeated the feat against CSK to capture their fourth IPL trophy last year.

Mumbai Indians built their squad around legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Sanath Jayasuriya in the first few seasons of the tournament. As the team started to pick success, they unearthed some world-class cricketers in Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.

MI has been one of the most consistent sides in the league's history, producing match-winners in their line-up season after season. Let's take a look at three reasons why Mumbai Indians have been so successful.

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#3 Building a balanced squad for the long-term with a strong core

Mumbai Indians' winning moment of IPL 2019 final

Mumbai Indians have always tried to put together a good mix of youth and experience in the auction, with foolproof planning. Whether it is recruiting hard-hitters in the opening slots or going for young off-spinners and leggies, they have stuck to their plans every year.

MI have persisted with Kieron Pollard and the Pandya brothers for finishing matches over the years. Meanwhile, the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan have played the role of bridging the gap in the middle overs to consolidate the innings.

In the bowling department, MI make it a point to rope in swift overseas pacers who can bowl at the death as well as with the new ball. They have repeatedly shown faith in Lasith Malinga, who has 170 wickets in 122 matches for the team. And Jasprit Bumrah has been a sensational find; he is now the backbone of their line-up.

Mumbai Indians have enjoyed success with their belief in the core players, even if those players didn't always live up to the expectations. The likes of Pollard and Mitchell McClenaghan have stuck with the side for a long time now, and have delivered in crucial situations. This continuity has been vital in their IPL journey thus far.

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#2 Faith shown in Indian players, which helps forge a strong team culture

Hardik Panda (left) and Jasprit Bumrah (right)

There is a reason why Mumbai Indians have played a prominent role in unearthing world-class talents. They have worked on scouting potential players from the domestic circuit and fast-tracking them to the IPL limelight.

Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Ambati Rayadu and Mayank Markande have all donned the national T20 jersey after their impressive stints with Mumbai Indians. They have established themselves as game-changers who can grab the momentum in a short span of overs.

Mumbai Indians are also known to forge a positive team culture, where the players feel comfortable in playing and showcasing their skills whenever the opportunity presents itself. They use their entire retention slots in most auctions, which creates a 'family-like' environment - where the members of the team can play fearless cricket.

Such an environment where the entire team backs each other, helps all the players grow into match-winners.

#1 Rohit Sharma's impeccable success as T20 captain

Rohit Sharma

With 4,898 runs to his name, Rohit Sharma is the third-highest scorer in the IPL, and he has grown into a captain who leads from the front. Rohit's natural striking abilities and tactical leadership, replete with well-executed strategies, have allowed him to capture four titles for Mumbai Indians.

Ever since donning the blue-gold jersey in 2011, Rohit has become an integral part of the Mumbai Indians. He received the captaincy hat after Ricky Ponting resigned mid-season in 2013, and MI went on to win all of their home games. Rohit ended as the top scorer of that season with 538 runs, helping the team lift their first-ever IPL trophy.

The franchise is known to have slow starts to their campaign every year. But Rohit still prioritizes on sticking with his squad, without making any notable changes to the lineup. That was one of the key features in their 2015 campaign; MI went on to win nine out of their last 10 games to clinch their second title.

Rohit understands every player's strengths and weaknesses, and uses them accordingly. Mumbai Indians have a proper set-up of frontline players along with as trong bench strength. Rohit knows when to use each member of the squad, and often succeeds in dismantling the opposition's plans with his smart moves and surprise tactics.

Mumbai Indians have always had a smoothly-functioning management, filled with competent analysts. That has helped Rohit grow as a tactical captain, where he understands the use of the right bowler against the opposition.

Such kind of planning and execution helps any T20 side gain momentum and ultimately win the big prize.