In the game of cricket, there have been many great players. And often, the stardom of these great cricketers overshadows the fact that the gentleman’s game is in fact a team sport. And if great players do not have a great team, victory and glory will be elusive.
The sport of cricket has seen many teams across many formats, but there are only a few that make history and leave an indelible impression on the spectators’ minds as among the greatest in history. The shortest format of cricket, T20, has also seen some great players and even greater teams in its recent history. And the greatest team of T20 history might just be the domestic team of Mumbai Indians.
As for IPL, the event is no more just another tournament in India; it is one that has become the Mecca of T20 cricket by uniting the finest T20 players of the world for one cause – cricket. Team Mumbai Indians – with their fifth and most recent title under their belt and some mind-blowing players creating their line-up – are possibly the greatest team of all time in IPL and T20 history.
The team has been consistent in its superb performance in the IPL and the players are credited with the team’s overall achievements.
The leadership of the team, resting comfortably on the shoulders of Indian team vice-captain and the most successful captain of IPL history, is one of the pivotal reasons behind the team’s success. In Rohit Sharma, Mumbai Indians have not only found a reliable hitter, but a cool and composed captain who can read the game well and convert chances into perfect match wins. Such is Sharma’s success in IPL, that there are rumours he might be chosen to recreate his IPL magic for the national T20 team. From taking the right decisions for the benefit of the team to leading the team by example, he has contributed his share in this year’s title claim despite being out of few games due to a hamstring injury.
The team had many spectacular performers, but none performed as well as the bowler duo Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah. While Boult dominated the powerplays with his lethal bowling, Bumrah had the ability to confound batsmen with his unplayable yorkerS. The pair collectively took 52 wickets in the current IPL and even seasoned batsmen were failing to face these two bowlers on the crease.
If Sharma is the ‘hitman’ for Mumbai Indians, wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock is a pillar of the team’s batting order with his attacking performances. De Kock is in excellent form and Mumbai Indians could depend on him both behind the wickets and in front of it.
The batting order of Mumbai Indians got a stronger spine with a solid middle order partnership between Surya Kumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan. During important chases, the team could depend on finishers such as Keiron Pollard and Hardik Pandya. The current IPL saw Pandya evolve into a more prolific batsman. With a sharp bowling attack and a solid batting lineup under strong leadership, Mumbai Indians defended a title they have won the most times now.
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