IPL 2021: Strength and weakness of each team ahead of UAE leg

2. Mumbai Indians

Strength- Current in-form batting order

Yet again in the 2021 IPL, the MI franchise had started slowly and had completely got into the groove when they had triumphed over CSK in a 200 plus run-chase. Up till the Chennai leg, their entire batting order had looked over-reliant on the top three or four batters, but in the present scenario, each one of them looks in a staggering form barring Hardik Pandya.

Especially with regards to their top-order, both QDK and skipper Rohit Sharma have been batting attractively in the UK and even the likes of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav were amongst the runs in the recent Sri Lankan series. The lower middle-order that comprises Kieron Pollard and Krunal Pandya also has looked in fine touch post the first leg of the IPL.

Overall, barring Hardik Pandya’s fitful form, the entire batting lineup of MI looks well composed that can collectively gel well once the IPL resumes. If MI’s entire batting order starts to click wholly, they can bank on their chances of winning the sixth IPL glory.

Weakness- Problem of second overseas seamer

In MI’s steady bowling department, the fast bowling duo of Jasprti Bumrah and Trent Boult have emerged as key architects who have scalped a majority of wickets since IPL 2020. Both of them are also skipper Rohit Sharma’s breakthrough pacers who are often responsible for defending the team in tough situations. However, regardless of their consistent performances, the team is grappling with its second overseas seamer as the likes of Marco Jansen and Adam Milne have so far been ordinary with their opportunities. 

Since both of them were played before the injured Aussie pacer Nathan Coulter Nile, none of them had turned out as promising figures for future games. Overall, while even Coulter-Nile’s fitness is an ordeal to endure, the MI management needs to settle out its problem of second overseas seamer choices.