IPL 2019: The top contenders for a spot in the Mumbai Indians team

With just a month left for the start of this year's Indian Premier League, most teams would already have put their think-tanks to work. With the strategies that have started taking shape, all the teams have already begun dreaming of bringing the trophy to their team.

Among all the strategies that are taking shape, teams must have started shortlisting the top XI players of their side, just based on performance. So, here is a look at the top XI players from the Mumbai Indians dug-out who might be in the contention over other players.

However, something worth noting is that the list below has 19 players who could take the field anytime, into the tournament and still carry the same potential as probably the best in the world and might go on prove themselves in the biggest T20 league of the world.

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Top Order

The top order of Mumbai Indians is nothing less than spectacular. Players like Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Evin Lewis, Quinton de Kock and Ishan Kishan are what makes the top order of MI. However out of these 5, only 4 can make it into the side. So in most cases, it will have to be either Lewis or de Kock who will face the axe, to maintain the balance overall.

What is also important for the balance of the top order is their skipper Rohit Sharma batting at No.4 again. Though his ideal spot is opening, MI have openers already who don't have a very good game if they are told to bat down the order. Hence, the skipper will have the responsibility of adapting and batting at No.4.

This makes the top order of MI solid enough to take on any bowling line-up. Suryakumar Yadav will open the innings with Evin Lewis or Quinton de Kock, followed by Ishan Kishan at No. 3 and Rohit at No. 4.

Middle Order

Mumbai Indians have already had their wicket-keeper in the top order in Ishan Kishan. Now, they need some firepower in the middle. And this firepower is quite efficiently provided by the variety of all-rounders to choose from.

Mumbai can play 4 all-rounders at a time and still won't be hampering either their bowling or their batting. Yuvraj Singh will surely play in more than just a couple of matches and hence he comes in at No. 5. Following him will be Krunal Pandya, a left arm spinning all-rounder. At No. 7, MI have Hardik Pandya, a fast bowling all-rounder. Both these Pandya brothers are absolute runaway match-winners and it is a proven fact from the past couple of seasons.

Yuvraj Singh will hope that blue and gold help him revive his fortunes.

The 4th slot in the middle order will be taken by either Kieron Pollard, who MI love immensely or the Australian all-rounder, Ben Cutting. Here, Cutting has the edge over Pollard for his bowling. But even with Pollard in the side, MI won't be compromising much on the overall bowling.

So, in these top 8, Mumbai have 4 proper batsmen, 2 proper all-rounders, 2 part time all-rounders along with a keeper.

Bowling Attack

Mumbai Indians have 4 overs of spin and 4 overs of pace already covered. And if Cutting is in the team, that covers another 4 overs of pace. Not to forget that Yuvraj can bowl a couple of overs too. So with 14 overs already bowled, MI just need to plug in the players for the last 7 overs.

For the remaining 3 slots, Mumbai have 2 sure-shot players who will easily walk into the side. Jasprit Bumrah, the king of fast bowling at the moment across the globe, will be adding to the pace bowling of the team. He will also be the leader of the bowling attack of the Mumbai Indians. Mayank Markhande will also be one of the front-runners and almost a surety in the XI. So, that covers the spin department as well.

Now, with one slot remaining to be sealed, this is a slot which Mumbai can play around with according to the situation. They could either go in with a fast bowler like Adam Milne, Lasith Malinga, Jason Behrendorff or Barinder Sran. If they need a spinner, they can go in with Anukul Roy, Rahul Chahar or someone like Jayant Yadav. And just in case if Mumbai's batting falls apart, MI can include both de Kock and Lewis, or give a chance to Aditya Tare or Siddhesh Lad.

Death Overs are not a problem for MI with Bumrah and Malinga in the team once again.

So, overall, Mumbai have a pretty balanced side and this balance is acquired with just 10 players. This is a very strong team on paper at least with big and established players in the side. MI have won the title in 2013, 2015 and 2017 and could well be on track to continue this series of winning the trophy every alternate year.