THE CHAMPIONS - Under Construction or Destruction? | Mumbai Indians - Team Analysis

Mumbai Indians are the aces of man-management and the art of winning.

Buying the raw talent and grooming them into rock stars is their mantra. Mumbai school of cricket's curriculum did not know the meaning of juggling the players. Win or lose could not shake them. They used to stick to the same playing XI to set their reliable core team. To the surprise, when the situation demanded, everyone in the crew used to step up to be a game-changer and won the games for them single-handedly. This has been the agenda of Mumbai Indians, five times champions.

Those were the glorious days of Mumbai when even their benched players could be the match winners. Comparing that outfit with the present team can clearly explain that this squad is far away from perfection. It is not in bits and pieces, but a few elements are missing here and there or they are at least misplaced.

The establishment of the new team started with the retaining of old warriors, Rohit, Bumrah, Pollard and SKY. As the major part of Mumbai's purse was spent for that, Mumbai came into the auction table, partly empty-handed. That had made them feel the pressure and they could not acquire whatever was there on the menu or served on the table. The starter (Opener) dish Ishan was a costly bid and that made them underprivileged in the auction further and that is why Mumbai's dinner plate looks incomplete and patchy now.

Buying Archer revealed that their game plan is not just for this season. They have a long term vision. 

But Wait!!! What is the present scenario?

Can they lift their sixth trophy?

Are they on the list of probable for playoffs at least? 

The answer includes IFs and BUTs.

Let us dissect this discussion into batting and bowling departments.

Rohit and other retained players (except Bumrah) are already filling the team's batting berths perfectly. Ishan, SKY and Pollard can handle spin and pace bowlers very well and Rohit can perform outstandingly against fast bowlers and he can perform the anchor role too. So everything may be looking to be perfect except the middle order which can be strengthened by Pollard in the fifth position. So is it all set and done?! It is "MORE UNSYNCHRONIZED THAN IT APPEARS".

Mumbai is missing the services of their clobbering opener de Kock and the assaulting Indian all-rounders, Pandya brothers. To compensate, Ishan is moving top to fill the shoes of de Kock so that the top 3 is perfect. But what about the middle order? It has to look upon to white ball veteran Pollard very much. Can he write the script of middle overs and death overs all by himself? The answer is maybe or may not be!

Well! There is where Mumbai has to turn its head to Tilak Varma, Tim David or Dewald Brevis. But can Mumbai rely on these players? Tilak Varma is an inexperienced budding youngster, so his ability in this platform is yet to be seen. Tim David is in very good shape in the recent past, his performance in the hundred is sparkling. The carbon copy of Mr 360°, Dewald is a highly-skilled player. But can they repeat their earlier magic in Indian conditions too? Tim can withstand spin bowling but Dewald may fall into the spin trap! Mumbai's sorrow does not end with this! It continues with the bundles of 'what ifs'!

What if the injury-prone Rohit is missing a game or may not perform well on a particular day?

What if Ishan's inconsistency will awake of a sudden?

Then the total pressure will fall only on SKY or Pollard.

Even there,

What if Pollard's 2018 form is rewritten?

 At that juncture, Mumbai may miss its Pandya brothers. Even though Sanjay Yadav can be seen as the like to like replacement for Krunal Pandya and his domestic stint is superlative and his recent TNPL performances are proof of his potential, can he do the same against international bowlers? If not, Mumbai will pin its hopes on Fabian Allen, by reserving the overseas slot.

So many questions are circulating in the air one after another to raise the doubts regarding the quality of the batting line-up.

Then comes the bowling department!

Bumrah, the BRAHMASTRA of Mumbai is the monster undoubtedly. He will be powerful in powerplays, can hit the deck in middle overs and is deadly in death overs. In short, he is the bowler for all the phases. But who can share his burden in the death overs? Even though Tymal Mills is not having much experience in IPL, he has variations and can do well in middle overs and very well in death overs which may be a big advantage for the team. So with respect to bowlers, Mumbai is not in deficit in the death overs but taking wickets with the new ball is going to be the real challenge for them. Even if Jaydev Unadkat is getting into playing 11, it is not certain whether he will live up to their expectations.

The spin department's sorrows are even deeper. The same team which once witnessed the greatness of Malinga had managed to do pretty well with Rahul Chahar. Whether Mumbai can exactly extract what they expect from Murugan Ashwin? Can he take the role of a spin wizard? If yes, that will be a big relief for Mumbai. Or otherwise, that will not only lead to wicket less middle overs but also run leaking phase of the game and that may not be a good sign for them on the whole.

So if the strengths and weaknesses of the team are set on either side of the balance, we can see that the weak side is dominating. This year, fans also may come across the rotational policy before settling with the final 11, which the fans were not used to be! The overall team may appear to have holes that have to be filled.

But beyond all this, the mastermind Jayawardene and the extensive experience of Rohit is travelling along with the team and that may do wonders.

Like in 2015, when they were losing 5 of their first seven games miserably at the beginning of the tournament but later managed to climb up the ladder to grab the title, miracles may happen for this monarch.

Mumbai Indians know the art of winning!!!!!

The only question is whether those hands-on skills will be really helpful for them this time too.

Will they punch above the predictions? 

Will the Mumbai Indians become Mumbai Champions again?

We have to wait and watch...