Following their 4-wicket defeat to the surging Lucknow Super Giants, the mighty Mumbai Indians have crashed to their 7th defeat of the season. Placing them at rock bottom with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) who too have only managed 3 wins the entire season. The last setback could well portend the end for the title chances of the Mumbai Indians.
A question a lot of people are now left asking is: What happened? How did one of the strongest teams in the league (and one of the richest) end up like this? In this post, we seek to provide some insights.
Mumbai Indians: Star Power vs Consistency
Mumbai had one of the strongest squads going into the 2024 edition of the world’s largest cricket league. In addition to the overseas contingent, Mumbai Indians had one of the strongest group of national players. Featuring stars like Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, and the captain of India Rohit Sharma. With this start-studded lineup, one would expect the team to put in half-decent performances at least. Performance that would keep the team closer to the top four, rather than the bottom four.
Now one can point the finger at several factors. And the pundits have had a field day breaking down the failings of the team. However, one factor that stands out in Mumbai’s failings has been the lack of consistency from its top order. Rohit Sharma, who was replaced as captain, for this edition of IPL by Hardik Pandya, has failed consistently.
Leaving aside his hundred in a losing cause against the home game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Rohit has not been the consistent show at the top. One that has been the mainstay of Mumbai has had a string of failures, contributing to Mumbai Indians’ woes. The same goes for Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav. The latter has managed only one 30-plus score in the last 5 IPL innings.
Also Read: Breaking News: England’s Players Will Miss IPL 2024 Final
Lessons from Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals hold the pole position. And their success has been due to the team’s ability to do the basics right. Nothing fancy. Set a target to defend it. Bowl well and chase a target. Interestingly Rajasthan Royals have had their problems in their batting with star opener Yashasvi Jaiswal having a mixed season.
However, the key difference between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals is that when a team needs a serious performance, one or more of their top order has put their hand up. Either it was Jos Butler, captain Sanju Samson, or someone else. The victory over Lucknow Super Giants is a case in point.
The other key factor is that Rajasthan Royals, unlike the Mumbai Indians, seemed to be the more grounded team for this season. Something feels ‘off’ about Mumbai on and off the field. From the somewhat controversial return of Hardik Pandya, his replacing Rohit Sharma as captain, and a general lack of focus by the team when it comes to areas like time management. And the lack of consistency at the top is again a major flaw that separates it from more successful teams.
Final Take Away for the Mumbai Indians
It’s going to be a tough final few weeks for the Mumbai Indians in this year’s IPL. Qualification is far-fetched and it is now up to the team to ensure that it finishes the season on a high. Critically On the positive side for the Mumbai Indians, the cream of its team from Rohit Sharma to Hardik Panday to Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav are all likely to make it into the Indian T20 squad.
About the Author
Damian Thar writes on a range of topics. In addition to his professional work, he writes essays on subjects like philosophy, history, and culture. He also writes and edits books; in his free time, he makes social commentary videos. You can find his work here.
