“They pick the best players” - Rajkumar Sharma analyzes why Mumbai Indians have been a champion IPL side
Virat Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma has attributed Mumbai Indians’ (MI) success in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to picking the best players and putting together a match-winning combination.
MI are the most successful team in the history of the IPL, having lifted the crown five times. They won their first title in 2013 and since have registered triumphs in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. All of their wins have come under Rohit Sharma’s shrewd captaincy.
Analyzing Mumbai Indians’ success in the IPL over the years, Sharma said on the Khelneeti podcast:
“Everyone is well aware of the kind of record that MI possesses in the IPL. They did not do well last season but there are always high hopes from the franchise. What has worked for them is that they have a very good think tank. They pick the best players and put together a combination that is difficult to beat. Surely, fans are hoping for Mumbai to bounce back with a bang this season.”
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Mumbai Indians were inconsistent during IPL 2021, as a result of which they failed to qualify for the IPL playoffs. They ended up equal on points (14) with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, Kolkata qualified on the basis of a superior net run rate.
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“They consistently backed their main players” - Rajkumar Sharma on Mumbai Indians’ strategy
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Sharma praised Mumbai’s strategy of sticking to the core team and backing their players to the hilt.
According to him, this has been one of the main factors behind MI's success in the IPL. He elaborated:
“They stuck to a core team. They consistently backed their main players, be it bowlers like Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah or even a Kieron Pollard. This is one of the key reasons behind their success. The roles of the players were well defined. Everyone knew what was expected of them. They trusted their match-winning players completely, which is why they won five IPL titles.”
Ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, MI retained Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Bumrah and Pollard. At the mega auction in Bengaluru, they bought back Ishan Kishan for ₹15.25 crore. However, Mumbai will be without Trent Boult and Pandya brothers Krunal and Hardik, who were released by the franchise ahead of the auction.