IPL 2019: 3 reasons why Mumbai Indians could struggle this year

#2 The fitness of Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya

One of the biggest reasons behind Mumbai Indians being a team that is well-balanced is Hardik Pandya. The pace bowling all-rounder gained recognition playing for the franchise and since gone to become one of their best players and an integral member of India's limited overs set-up.

Pandya is someone who usually completes his quota of overs at a reasonable economy and more or less picks up a wicket or two. Also, his hard-hitting batting style makes him a dangerous player towards the end of the innings.

However, over the last few months, he has been troubled by various issues. While his suspension dominated headlines, the 25-year-old has faced severe fitness problems. After breaking down in the Asia Cup, Pandya was ruled out of action for three months due to a back injury.

The issue seemed to have re-emerged as he was not fit for the recent series against Australia. Quite clearly, he has played very less competitive cricket over the last six months. In such situations, there is always the risk of the player being rusty and not at the top of his game.

Also, with the World Cup approaching, the national team will have a close an eye on him and it is possible that he has to sit out a few matches. If Pandya is not playing at his best or unavailable for selection, it will severely hamper Mumbai's strength and depth.

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