IPL 2022: 3 teams MI will be wary of in Group A
Mumbai Indians (MI) boast an enviable and decorated record in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Rohit Sharma-led franchise is the most successful outfit in the tournament, having been in the list of IPL winner as many as five times.
The IPL Governing Council announced the new format for the upcoming season on Friday, with the tournament set to feature 10 teams this time around.
The sides have been divided into two IPL groups, A and B, based on their success over the years in the IPL.
Mumbai Indians (MI) placed in Group A for IPL 2022
MI have been placed in Group A, alongside Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Delhi Capitals (DC), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). They will also play arch rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) twice, while facing the rest of the teams in Group B just once.
IPL have confirmed the two groups for IPL 2022.
Each team will play twice with the other teams in their group and with the team in the same row in the other group. With the other teams in the second group, they will play once.
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While the Mumbai Indians will enter the tournament as one of the favorites, there are some teams that can surely upset the apple cart.
Here, we take a look at three such IPL teams from their group who the five-time champions will be wary of facing:
#1 Delhi Capitals (DC)
Mumbai Indians got the better of Delhi Capitals (DC) on four occasions in IPL 2020, including the summit clash. However, DC stormed back the following year, winning both their bouts against Rohit Sharma's team.
MI and DC are set to face each other twice in IPL 2022 and the overall head-to-head sits at 16-14 in favor of the former. With the Capitals pulling things back in IPL 2021, the recent record stands in their favor.
Moreover, the Capitals (earlier Daredevils) have managed to keep things steady against Mumbai even in years where they fared poorly overall. With a much stronger outfit at their disposal and having found a good winning habit over the last few years, DC are truly a force to be reckoned with now.
DC possesses a well-rounded outfit with searing pace, quality spin and match-winners aplenty with the bat. Thus, if there is a side in Group A that can give the Mumbai Indians a run for their money in IPL 2022, it has to be the Capitals.
The most awaited list of most runs in IPL 2022 is here, check it out.
#2 Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) assembled a solid team at the IPL 2022 Auction with a host of multi-skilled players. However, the challenge that the team faces would be to gel together as a unit, given that most of them will be sharing the dressing room together for the first time.
Yet, it is that factor of unpredictability that may yet work in their favor with opposition teams not knowing what to expect come IPL 2022. This element of the unknown makes them a side that the five-time champions will have to be cautious about.
LSG boasts a plethora of bowling options and abundant batting depth if their likely first XI is anything to go by. This could allow them to come out playing a positive brand of cricket given the degree of freedom that the side possesses. Even the best teams such as the Mumbai Indians could be put to the sword as a result of the same.
Of course, playing league games in Mumbai and Pune is a factor that works to the advantage of MI. But having said that, there is no sure shot guarantee of success. LSG could just come out firing and make a strong statement first up, making them a side that the Mumbai Indians will have to be wary of, come IPL 2022.
#3 Rajasthan Royals (RR)
While most teams tend to struggle to get the better of Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have had the knack of upsetting their apple cart. RR have won five of the last eight clashes against MI. Having such a good record against one of the finest T20 outfits to have ever assembled is some achievement.
If it was down to Krishnappa Gowtham's blitz in 2018 and Jos Buttler's brilliance in 2019, Ben Stokes blew MI to smithereens with a blistering century in 2020. Clearly, the Royals have been a banana skin over which Mumbai have slipped more than once.
Thus, come IPL 2022, RR will be looking to pull off a double against MI, with both teams placed in the same group. RR have assembled a fresh unit barring the core of the three players retained prior to the auction.
However, quite a few of their new recruits such as Trent Boult, James Neesham and Nathan Coulter-Nile have just moved over from MI. They know more than a thing or two about their brand of cricket and will go a long way in aiding the Royals' cause this season.
The signs then clearly point towards the Mumbai Indians having to sit on the edge and be watchful of another upset or two in the forthcoming season.
Also read: IPL 2022 Auction: 3 teams that had a solid auction and 2 that didn’t that didn’t that didn’t