The 5-time IPL champions are in the hunt for their 6th title. Rohit Sharma will be eager to add one more trophy to extend his lead as the most successful IPL captain. With the likes of Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, and Trent Boult no more available for Mumbai, they look a completely different side now. Here, we will look into the highs and lows of their squad to determine their chances in IPL 2023.
So, let’s get started.
MI Squad 2023
Underlying is the squad that Mumbai have entrusted to bring them their 6th IPL trophy:
Rohit Sharma(c), Suryakumar Yadav, Tim David, Dewald Brevis, Tilak Varma, Tristan Stubbs, Ishan Kishan, Vishnu Vinod, Cameron Green, Ramandeep Singh, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Hritik Shokeen, Arshad Khan, Duan Jansen, Jasprit Bumrah, Jofra Archer, Jhye Richardson, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Arjun Tendulkar, Piyush Chawla, Kumar Kartikeya, Raghav Goyal
Mumbai Indians Likely Starting XI
Mumbai may start the tournament with this playing XI:
- Rohit Sharma (c)
- Cameron Green
- Ishan Kishan (wk)
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Dewald Brevis
- Tilak Varma
- Tim David
- Hritik Shokeen
- Jofra Archer
- Piyush Chawla
- Arjun Tendulkar
MI Squad Strengths
The following are the top strengths of the Mumbai team:
-
Solid Top Order
Mumbai Indians will have a lot of hopes from their top 4 batsmen. Rohit Sharma, Cameron Green, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav are those 4 blokes. Let’s first talk about the young Cameron Green. The all-rounder was bought for a whopping 17.5 crores in the IPL 2023 mini-auction. The prime reason for him to get such a massive bid was his performance against India in the 3-match T20 series in 2022.
Surprisingly, the youngster was asked to open the batting in the first match, and he took the opportunity with both hands. His scintillating knock of 61 runs took just 30 balls and included 8 fours and 4 sixes. In the next game, he could score just 5 runs in an 8 overs-per-side match. But the third and last T20I saw him getting back to his prime form. He faced just 21 balls for his 52 runs while hitting 7 boundaries and 3 maximums. These performances suggest he could be as destructive as anyone in the world in Indian conditions.
Cam Green might open the batting, and he will be partnered by the skipper Rohit Sharma. Rohit Sharma is the stalwart of Mumbai’s batting lineup. He has played all 15 IPL seasons and got 5879 runs at a strike rate of 129.89. Ishan Kishan will follow Rohit and Green in the batting order. He has scored 1870 IPL runs so far at an average of 29.22 and an SR of 132.34.
But the most threatening player in the MI squad is none other than Suryakumar Yadav. SKY is currently the top batsman in the world T20I rankings. He has been in prolific touch in the last couple of years. Since the start of 2022, he has amassed 1431 T20 runs for India. His average and strike rate in this period are 49.44 and 179.77, respectively. In IPL 2022, he scored 2644 runs at a strike rate of 145.67. So, MI’s top 4 are real tough opponents to bowl at.
-
Depth in Batting Lineup
If a bowling lineup gets through the top 4 batters of Mumbai, they may think they are at ease now. But that’s not the case, as the middle order is as strong as the top order. Dewald Brevis, the most promising uncapped talent in world cricket, will likely bat at #5. He came into the MI setup last year and scored 161 runs at an SR of 142.48. Another youngster Tilak Verma will follow Brevis in the batting lineup. He, too, played his first season in 2022. He scored 397 runs at an average of 36.09 and an SR of 131.02.
But the most dangerous figure in Mumbai’s batting unit is Tim David. The hard-hitter is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous power hitters in world cricket. He played 8 matches in the previous IPL season. He scored 186 runs at an impressive average of 37.2 and an astonishing strike rate of 216.28. The Aussie strikes at 159.5 in T20 Internationals and 157.8 in domestic T20s. He is the perfect guy to fill Kieron Pollard’s big shoes for MI.
MI Squad Weaknesses
MI are lacking in one aspect before the start of IPL 16. Let’s see what aspect it is:
-
Ordinary Bowling Lineup
Previously, Mumbai Indians had a strong bowling unit to back their powerpack batting lineup. For the first time, it looks like they will field below-par bowling. After the exit of Krunal Pandya and Rahul Chahar, they don’t have a proper spinner in their ranks. Piyush Chawla is a decent option, but he is far from his prime now. That’s why they will find it extremely hard to take control in the middle overs.
The pace battery seemed like a reliable one, but Jasprit Bumrah getting ruled out due to injury has given MI a huge setback. Now, Jofra Archer is the only world-class fast bowler in their squad. Cameron Green is a decent option too, but he is yet to show his true potential with the ball. So, they will have to rely on inexperienced bowlers like Arjun Tendulkar.
Players To Watch Out
The 5 MI players to watch out for in IPL 2023 are:
-
Rohit Sharma
The most successful IPL captain is also one of the best batters in the league’s history. His starting price for this IPL edition is only ₹151.
-
Ishan Kishan
The youngster smashed a double ton in ODI cricket in the year 2022. He is an extraordinary talent, and MI will expect him to unleash his potential this year. You can buy his stocks for ₹151.
-
Suryakumar Yadav
The top-ranked T20I batsman is also the most valuable player in Mumbai’s team. His base price for the season is ₹165, and it can go way higher in the competition.
-
Cameron Green
Cam Green is a special talent from Australia. He can make an impact with both bat and ball in this format. To buy his PCs, you just need to spend ₹151.
-
Jofra Archer
England quick has a base price of ₹156. He is one of the most exciting pacers going around in the world of cricket and is always a hot commodity in fantasy cricket.
Mumbai Indians IPL 2023 Prediction
After Bumrah’s injury, Mumbai’s team looks quite average. Their batting has plenty of firepower, but their bowling seems ordinary. That’s why we predict they will get eliminated from the league stage after standing in the 7th position.
Final Prediction: League stage elimination.
