IPL 2020: We are already past the halfway stage in the world’s most lucrative and anticipated domestic league, the IPL and the picture now looks more or less clear as to who will make the coveted playoffs. The defending champs as it seems have just carried on from where they left last year and is looking confident and assured of winning their fifth title on the bounce.
The side as we all know doesn’t believe in tinkering with their winning combination and backs the players to perform the role assigned. The belief has gone a long way in bringing out the best from the team members and thus they continue to be in the happy phase which every franchise craves for. We will be looking at the five reasons for their dominance this season:
Rohit as the leader
Appointed as a mid-season captain in 2013, the Indian opener hasn’t looked back thereafter. Having won 4 titles with the franchise already, he has his eyes on the fifth one already. Many would be intrigued to know his mantra for success and the secrets behind tying such a star-studded unit together. Those who happen to watch cricket regularly will know that Rohit does not do anything different.
He trusts his players to come at any situation and that acts as a big booster in moments when you need support. His bowling changes, field placements and the intensity which he maintains mount the pressure on the opposition and compels them to commit a mistake. His match awareness and belligerent approach to picking wickets always keeps his side in the game whether or not they perform with the bat. That’s the very reason, they have defended low totals and never given the opposition a breathing space. It won’t be a surprise if he even leads the Indian limited-overs side with the same intensity and fortunes in the near offing to arrive.
A four-overs bank in the form of Bumrah
The speedster from Gujarat made a name for himself and also earned his national cap after performing exceedingly well for MI. The bowler who started in 2013 is a completely different player now with immense experience up his sleeves. Skipper Rohit always looks upto him in pursuit of wickets and the yorker sensation never fails to deliver it.
It is quite astonishing to witness his match-ups in IPL 2020 against different players and exploit their particular witness. An in-swinger to get Mayank, a bumper to surprise Russell and get the better of him are some instances when the bowler has made the ball talk. MI will never get a bowler of his calibre who consistently can hit the same length at the same pace and rattle timbre. In the absence of his idol Malinga, he has a greater role to perform in the MI squad. Having already picked 15 wickets from 9 matches, he is going to be a tough contender for the purple cap.
Power-packed middle order
The luxury which MI possesses in the form of super-strikers like Pollard and Pandya brothers in the lower order makes them the most enviable side in the league. The other teams as we have seen have struggled to find batsmen of those stature who could clobber from the word go and score those quickfire fifties.
The Mumbai based outfit owing to these 3 have piled totals in excess of 190 on bigger grounds like Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Pollard has definitely been the bigger impact who was twice involved in scoring 90 runs off the last six overs against KXIP and RCB helping MI stamp authority in the crunch moments.
The West Indian has just carried on from where he left at CPL and the contribution is not just limited with the bat in hand but also involves his pyrotechnics with the ball and in the outfield. His catch of Buttler at the long on boundary is definitely the talking point of this season. With a playoffs berth almost certain, he along with the Pandya brothers will hold paramount importance in their plans to lift the IPL trophy a record fifth time.
Overseas pacers join hands
MI did a fantastic job by availing the services of Boult and Pattinson via a transfer and player replacement policy respectively. Having picked 12 and 9 wickets respectively, they are responsible for inflicting damage in different phases of a match.
Both have bowled at a brisk pace and exploited the seam movement on offer early on. Their wicket-taking contribution has eased the pressure on Bumrah and the spinners who could persist with their plans and the executions. Rohit often uses them to deceive the batsmen and get some valuable wickets in the middle. The two pacers as well have never shied away from bowling in different scenarios and always put their hand up in times of difficulty. There is absolutely no doubt that the Trans-Tasman pair is one of the pillars of their success and with the business end approaching, their role becomes even more gargantuan
Incredible coaching staff
A team’s success can never be complete without mentioning their dedicated, hardworking and brilliant coaches. Sri Lanka’s great batsman and MI’s current coach, Mahela Jayawardene is at the centre-stage of everything that occurs on a cricketing field. It is safe to say that he is the thinktank behind MI’s triumphs! A gentleman on and off the field, he makes sure that every member in the squad is at comfort and never fails to give his precious insights which would go a long way in the betterment of the player.
The man is well assisted by former experienced campaigners like Zaheer Khan, Shane Bond, James Pamment and Robin Singh who handle particular departments making the coach’s job easier. Players feel at home when these stalwarts are around and don’t hesitate to raise their doubts. A recent video of Digvijay Deshmukh mastering his bowling skills under the abled guidance of Khan is a curious illustration of the same. With these worldly and respected men to the fore, MI can definitely dream of winning another title and see it materialize as well.
