IPL 2020: SWOT Analysis of Mumbai Indians
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.