The IPL got off to a blockbuster start with its second leg when Mumbai Indians took on Chennai Super Kings in Dubai. The two teams command enormous fan following and are one of the most loved franchises in the league. Their encounter has traditionally garnered huge eyeballs and that’s the reason that BCCI invariably schedules the first game of the season between these two heavyweights. In last night’s encounter, CSK came from behind to trump MI in what seemed like a game hanging in balance. The game re-established IPL’s reputation as a league of twists and turns. Just when one expects a likely result, the game turns on its head to spring up a surprise. This match truly embodied the dictum “it is not over till it’s over.”
Mumbai Indians had CSK on the mat in the first 6 overs of the match when CSK was reduced to 24 for 4. However, Ruturaj Gaikwad played the role of an anchor and with support from Bravo, CSK reached a total of 156. When MI came out to bat, they lost wickets in regular intervals with strikes from Deepak Chahar and Hazelwood, and Bravo. Finally, they fell 20 runs short of the target at the end of their innings. Even though this is just the first game of the second leg, it still gives us an idea of how the season is looking for MI and we shall analyze 5 reasons why MI would not qualify for the knockouts.
In this article, we look at the 5 reasons why Mumbai Indians will not qualify for knockouts
1. Injury Scare
Two of the MI superstars did not take the field for Sunday’s match. Harik Pandya and Rohit Sharma both complained of pain before the match. Rohit Sharma experienced discomfort in his left knee post his second-innings century against England at The Oval. MI’s head coach also revealed that Hardik Pandya had picked up a niggle while training. With the World Cup looming around the corner and these two being an integral part of that, they may miss out on more matches to manage their fitness. If that is the case, then MI would not look its dominant self.
2. Hardik Pandya Conundrum
It has been a mystery as to what role Pandya is playing in the team. His persistent injuries saw him give up on bowling duties only to bowl against England in the limited-overs series in February. His returns with the bat have diminished ever since the first leg of the IPL. He has not been his explosive best as a finisher lately. If he does not bowl his quota of overs, then it puts pressure on the team balance. MI will need to solve this situation to ensure they go in with their best 11.
3. Unsuitable Pitch
Mumbai Indians have become a team to beat over the years because of its envied lineup. De Kock, Surya Kumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Sharma, and Pollard create fear in the minds of the opposition. With Hardik Pandya as the finisher and Krunal also chipping in, the batting is deep. However, their batting line-up loves the ball to come on the bat with a good bounce and pace. That’s the reason they are unbeatable in Wankhede. With the pitches slow and low in UAE, the batting line-up struggled.
4. Lack of Back-up Spinner
Teams have envied Mumbai Indians’ auction strategy and team composition. They have a like-for-like replacement in their team. Therefore, the team always performs above par. However, this season it seems that they are a spinner short in their bench. Rahul Chahar and Krunal Pandya are their first choice spinners but as we saw yesterday Krunal went for 27 runs in 2 overs. He could neither restrict the flow of runs and create pressure or pick wickets. In such situations, MI lacks a credible alternative.
5. Law of Averages
Mumbai Indians has won the title in 2013, 15, 17, 19, and 20. They are the first franchise to win the title 5 times and have invariably always made it to the knock-offs. Even in seasons when their campaign looked doomed, like the one in 2014, they have pulled out blinders to make it to the knockouts. However, at some point, the law of averages shall kick in and it seems like this season could be that.
