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The Mumbai Indians (MI) head into the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) looking extremely strong on paper and with confidence on their side.
The defending champions, who clinched their fourth IPL title with a thrilling one-run win over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in last year's final, will attempt to win consecutive crowns for the first time in history. Led by the calm Rohit Sharma, MI are the firm favourites for IPL 2020.
With their training sessions ahead of IPL 2020 in full swing, we take the opportunity to delve deeper into MI's squad and analyse how it shapes up for the much-awaited return of top-level cricket.
In this article, we carefully analyse the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the MI squad ahead of IPL 2020.
MI in IPL 2020: Strengths
#1 MI have arguably the best top order among all teams in IPL 2020
MI have always had a solid top order, but they've gone one step further this year with the acquisition of Chris Lynn. The destructive opener, who former franchise Kolkata Knight Riders 'let go with a heavy heart', is expected to partner South African wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock.
The De Kock-Lynn opening combination might even push one of the greatest white-ball openers the game has ever seen - Rohit Sharma - to No. 3. Even though the skipper is coming in at the fall of a wicket, MI arguably have the best top order among all teams in IPL 2020.
With Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan viable options at No. 4, MI could win most of their games in the first phase of their batting innings.
#2 MI have a very strong Indian core
All successful IPL teams in history have one thing in common - a solid Indian core, and MI are no different. In Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, they have three players who are some of the first names on the Indian team-sheet.
Krunal Pandya and Rahul Chahar have been on the fringes of the Indian T20I team for some time, and are not regulars only because of the presence of Ravindra Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal respectively.
Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan have also had sufficient IPL experience, leading to MI having a sizeable part of their playing XI fixed already. With experimentation limited to the overseas slots, MI are likely to go in with a set combination during IPL 2020 which would give players confidence and an extended run of games.
#3 MI have world-class all-rounders
MI's strongest playing XI for IPL 2020 has enviable balance, and all-rounders are the most important contributing factor to any championship-winning team.
In the Pandya brothers and Kieron Pollard, Rohit Sharma can call upon three world-class all-rounders who are capable in both departments (all three departments if you are to include fielding) and experienced at the IPL level.
Although the West Indian hasn't bowled very frequently in the IPL of late, he is rolling his arm over in the ongoing Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as captain of the Trinbago Knight Riders.
Nathan Coulter-Nile, who was MI's most expensive buy in the IPL 2020 auction, along with West Indian Sherfane Rutherford who was traded in, are quality back-ups even if they don't make the playing XI in all games.
MI in IPL 2020: Weaknesses
#1 MI don't have sufficient depth in the spin department
MI might have been able to make to with their current spin department had IPL 2020 taken place in India but in the UAE, they might be exposed by quality players of spin.
Rahul Chahar and Krunal Pandya are expected to be the only two spinners in the XI, and both are are run-saving rather than wicket-taking options. MI could've used a spinner who depends on flight and guile to pick up wickets rather than Krunal and Chahar, who are both quick through the air and not massive turners of the ball.
MI's options on the bench are Jayant Yadav and Anukul Roy, who have played 12 matches and 1 match respectively. Even after Lasith Malinga, the leading wicket-taker in IPL history, pulled out of the tournament citing personal reasons, the team management chose to replace him with Aussie quick James Pattinson.
MI's lack of depth in the spin department might catch them out in IPL 2020.
#2 MI's pace attack (barring Jasprit Bumrah) is nothing to write home about
Barring Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah, MI's pace attack doesn't look great on paper, or least the players' numbers don't.
Trent Boult, who has an economy rate of 8.78 over the course of his IPL career, played only 5 games last season. New signing Nathan Coulter-Nile hasn't played a single game in the last two IPL seasons, and if he manages to make it into the playing XI, he might be thrown into the deep end.
Dhawal Kulkarni is the only other quality Indian option, and the former Rajasthan Royals pacer has conceded runs at an economy rate of over 9 in all the previous three IPL seasons with only 13 wickets to show for. Pattinson, who is Malinga's replacement, hasn't proven himself in the T20 format as well.
Much of the responsibility might fall on Bumrah's shoulders, and the Indian spearhead might be left with too much to do on his own, especially while returning from such a long break.
MI in IPL 2020: Opportunities
#1 MI can become the undisputed greatest franchise in the history of the IPL
With 4 IPL titles, MI are already the most decorated franchise in the history of the cash-rich league. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with 3 titles, are second on the list and some fans might argue that had the Men in Yellow played the two seasons that they missed, they would be ahead of MI on the winners' list.
This argument can be crushed should MI win IPL 2020, as they would move to 5 (yes, 5!) victories in the 13 editions of the tournament. Rohit Sharma would also complete a successful IPL defence for the first time, something that only CSK have managed.
By winning IPL 2020, MI can solidify their position as the greatest team India's premier tournament has ever seen.
#2 MI's 'second-string stars' could shoot into reckoning for the Indian team
In Rahul Chahar and Krunal Pandya, MI have two players in and around the Indian T20 team. With two T20 World Cups scheduled to be played in successive years, both players will very keen on making a statement with their performances in IPL 2020.
Suryakumar Yadav, despite his consistent performances in the IPL and in the domestic circuit, is yet to be capped by India. A good tournament could catapult him into the reckoning for the white-ball sides, with the middle order still far from stable.
Youngster Anukul Roy, who was one of the stars of the 2018 U-19 World Cup, will also want to make the jump to the international stage as soon as possible, and he could well feature in the playing XI on wickets that offer turn and grip.
Ishan Kishan, who scored only 101 runs in 7 games last season, will be keen on turning things around and proving to the world why he was once spoken of in the same breath as Delhi Capitals star Rishabh Pant.
With the Indian national team futures of so many players on the line, there exists the opportunity of IPL 2020 being a stepping stone for their success.
MI in IPL 2020: Threats
#1 MI have a shambolic record in the UAE
The first leg of the 2014 IPL was held in the UAE due to general elections in India, and MI had a horrific outing in the Middle East. They didn't register a single win in the 5 matches that they played in the UAE, with all other teams managing to win at least two.
Despite their disastrous start, however, MI recovered well to finish fourth on the points table at the end of the league phase and qualify for the playoffs, where they lost to CSK in the Eliminator by 7 wickets.
The reason behind MI's poor record in the UAE can't be ascertained very easily but in a tournament where adaptability to the conditions will be paramount, they might be at a significant disadvantage.
#2 MI don't have tried-and-tested IPL players on the bench
Given that IPL 2020 is the first cricketing action that most MI players will see in a while, it would be difficult for them to play all 14 group stage games. The fact that there are 10 double-headers in this year's IPL doesn't bode well, apart from the sweltering heat in the UAE that is bound to take a toll on the players.
A cursory look at the MI squad for IPL 2020 will be enough to ascertain that they can't afford to rest their key players as frequently as they'd like, especially the fast bowlers. Should Jasprit Bumrah need a break, the pace attack will look extremely weak.
Mohsin Khan, Prince Balwant Rai, Digvijay Deshmukh and Anmolpreet Singh are almost entirely untested at the IPL level, while Saurabh Tiwary and Aditya Tare haven't seen regular action in the tournament in some time now.
Should MI suffer from injuries or fatigue, they just don't have the bench strength to rest their players.
Also Read: IPL 2020: SWOT Analysis of Chennai Super Kings
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