The 11th edition of the Indian Premier League is just around the corner and three-time champions, Mumbai Indians will be eager to retain their coveted IPL title and register a record fourth IPL title.
They have retained five of their core players, and in all likelihood, all those players will be part of the playing XI on most occasions.
Mumbai begins their campaign against the Chennai Super Kings on 7th April, and without a doubt, it will be a mouth-watering contest.
Now let us have a look at the possible playing XI of Mumbai in the opening match of the tournament.
Even Lewis
The Windies left-handed opener is one of the most sought after cricketers especially in the shortest format of the game.
He can play the big shots on a consistent basis and on his day, he can decimate any bowling attack.
The Indian bowling attack will be aware of his exploits, as he smashed a sensational century during a T20I match in the USA. The southpaw in all likelihood will open the innings with youngster Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan
The wicket-keeper batsman has been a great pick for the Mumbai Indians. The southpaw showcased his batting prowess during the previous edition of the tournament while he was playing for the Gujarat Lions.
He is a powerful hitter of the ball and is one of most consistent performers in the domestic circuit. To add to his batting abilities, he is also a safe wicket-keeper behind the stumps.
Rohit Sharma
The skipper of the team needs no introduction. He is the only captain in the league to lead his franchise to three title wins. He has been a phenomenal performer for Mumbai Indians with the bat and had also come good with the ball in certain occasions.
He picked up a hat-trick in the 2nd edition of the tournament while playing for the Deccan Chargers.
Krunal Pandya
The elder of the Pandya brothers is an asset to any T20I team. He can chip in with four crucial overs in the middle and also has the knack of breaking partnerships.
It was his brilliant knock in the final of IPL 10 which eventually helped Mumbai seal a sensational one runs victory to lift their 3rd title.
He is a terrific striker of the ball, and hence he was retained by the most successful team in the tournament.
Kieron Pollard
The Windies all-rounder is another major part of the Mumbai Indians set-up.
Pollard needs no introduction when it comes to power-hitting. He has shown in the past that what he is capable of.
The big Caribbean lad has played some enterprising knocks for his franchise. He can also chip in with some crucial overs.
Ben Cutting
The Aussie all-rounder is a sensational hitter of the ball and a good bowler as well. He can play the long handle to great effect and can also chip with some crucial overs.
The set-up of Mumbai Indians has been such that they have many all-rounders in their ranks.
Hardik Pandya
He is arguably the best all-rounder India has at the moment. He is a powerful striker of the ball and can consistently clock over 135-140 km/hr.
He can smash sixes at will, and it was from Mumbai Indians where he got an entry in international cricket.
Rahul Chahar
The young leg-spinner might lend the much-needed balance to the team given his unique wrist spinning abilities.
Pat Cummins
The Aussie speedster in all likelihood will be part of the playing XI at least in the opening game. He can bowl fast and can consistently trouble star-studded batting line-ups. He can also smash some lusty blows towards the end and is a handy lower order batsman.
Pradeep Sangwan
The left-arm pacer is a good prospect to have on the team. He can bowl at pace and has previously played for the Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Here’s the Newsfeed:
Michael Clarke Tweets Post Smith’s Break Down in Media Briefing
Smith apologies for ‘failure of his leadership’