Mumbai Indians’ latest victory came in Dubai where they thrashed Delhi Capitals in the final by five wickets to lift the coveted trophy. Trent Boult’s amazing bowling helped to restrict their opponents to 156 in the 20 overs. And then skipper Sharma smashed 68 runs to make it an easy chase for the team. Thus, they became the only team in the IPL history to have the distinction of winning five titles.
Bringing right players in the team
Mumbai Indians have usually been a slow starter in the tournament. However, things were different for them in 2020 when they were the most consistent team. They managed to put together a good run of performances early in the campaign and mostly remained at the top of the table. They won nine matches out of 14 to qualify for the play-offs and then ultimately emerged victorious in the tournament.
A big reason for Mumbai’s brilliant performance was that they brought in the right players that year. The signings of Trent Boult and James Pattinson provided them a big boost in the IPL, with both pacers later contributing heavily to their successes. Additionally, Mumbai also had a very good bench of overseas cricketers like Nathan Coulter Nile and Mitchell McClenaghan.
Smart use of data
Although other IPL franchises also use data analysis to improve results, Mumbai Indians are the most advanced team in this regard. The smart use of data has given them a competitive edge. They try to figure out the best strategy by the use of numbers, and they have managed to assemble a team having a strong core of local players plus foreign stars who add the most value to the team.
According to famous sports journalist Tim Wigmore:
“They (Mumbai) have got a very good idea of how to assemble a team because they’ve used data to establish the best strategy. Then they have a really strong scouting system that allows them to chase all of the most undervalued domestic talent.
“It’s a bit of a myth that you want to get the best overseas players – you actually want the players that add the most value to the team, which is dependant on which local players are available.”
Rohit Sharma’s brilliance
Rohit Sharma has been the most important figure in the five title-winning seasons of Mumbai Indians. The most successful captain of the IPL is one of the most naturally gifted batsmen in the world. The amazing player has the distinction of scoring three ODI double centuries, making him the only cricketer on the globe to achieve such a remarkable feat.
Rohit remained associated with Deccan Chargers in his first three IPL seasons. He was one of the most consistent performers for the franchise and was instrumental in helping them win the 2009 crown. The Hitman joined Mumbai in 2011 and was made the team’s captain in 2013. That season, he led his team to their maiden IPL title.
The 2015 season saw the franchise struggling massively, winning just one match from their opening six matches. However, the Rohit Sharma led-side made a remarkable turnaround and eventually went on to win the title. Mumbai won three more IPL titles in 2017, 2019 and 2020 under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. Now the Hitman will be looking to become the first IPL captain to secure a hat-trick of title wins.
There are only some athletes in sports who are capable of achieving feats that look impossible for other humans. The top Premier League goal leader Cristiano Ronaldo is one such example in football, while Rohit Sharma fits the above description in the world of cricket.