Mumbai Team in Indian T20 League 2022

With five titles in their gallery, Mumbai are arguably the most successful team in the history of the Indian T20 League. In fact, they were the first franchise to achieve 100 wins in the tournament.

That said, the five-time champions were the most affected after the 2022 auction in February. Unfortunately, Mumbai had to let go of many of their superstars such as Quinton De Kock, Trent Boult, Hardik, and Krunal Pandya.

Post the retention of skipper Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Kieron Pollard, Mumbai also exhausted their purse in buying back wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan at the auction.

After their disappointing time in 2021, where they failed to qualify for the playoffs, Mumbai will be keen on making amends going forward.

Game Changers
Much of Mumbai’s success will depend on how Rohit and Ishan perform at the top. Although their average suffered (29 & 26 respectively) in 2021, the opening duo will remain the favourite picks in fantasy leagues.

Since most league games are going to be played at the Wankhede stadium, where the pitch tends to favour the stroke makers, Rohit and Ishan are likely to make merry.

Key Contributors
Pollard has been a pillar of the Mumbai side since he was first bought in 2010. Although the West Indian all-rounder can blow hot and cold, he is yet to finish a season without winning a game for his beloved franchise.

Once again, the onus of leading the Mumbai attack will be on Bumrah. He has only played for Mumbai in the Indian T20 league thus far and has taken 130 wickets in 106 games. In the past, his death bowling has often bailed his franchise out of difficult positions.

Newcomers
Mumbai outbid many other teams to buy the Under-19 sensation Tilak Varma. As per the reports, the southpaw might bat in the middle-order. Given Mumbai’s rich history of unearthing multiple talents over the years, all eyes will be on Varma.

Tim David, who has tasted success across T20 leagues, is expected to play the role of a finisher for Mumbai. In addition to his big-hitting, he could also be called upon to roll his arm over in the powerplay.

Strength
If openers Rohit and Ishan can get off to a flying start, Mumbai will be a tough team to contain, especially in the powerplay. Their middle-order too appears potent in the form of Pollard, Suryakumar, and the new recruit David.

Regardless of how poorly Mumbai might start their campaign, one can never write them off. Historically, despite being slow starters, they have won the tournament. Moreover, the Mumbai franchise also believes in playing fearless cricket which often creates panic in the opposition.

Weaknesses
Although Bumrah is capable of winning games on his own, the overreliance on the Indian pacer could backfire. If the ace pacer breaks down, Mumbai could get severely exposed, as no other Indian bowler in their squad has any encouraging numbers in the Indian T20 League.

The spin department too appears thin. Mayank Markande who has been a part of the team before could operate, alongside Murugan Ashwin. In fact, going by the spin attack of other sides in the competition, Mumbai have every reason to be worried.

Final Word
Post the auction, the Mumbai squad might not appear intimidating as it did earlier. That said, in the past, Mumbai have often bounced back from crisis to win the title. Their winning culture, coupled with the astute captaincy of Rohit, can never be discounted. Although Mumbai thinktank are looking to build a team for the future, they certainly cannot be taken lightly in 2022.