IPL 2022: Mumbai Indians (MI) SWOT Analysis and Schedule

The Mumbai Indians will aim to put their disappointing 2021 season behind them as they prepare for the IPL 2022 season, which starts on March 26. In the previous edition of IPL, MI had high expectations going into the tournament, having won back-to-back titles in the 2019 and 2020 editions, and could have become the first team in the competition’s history to win a hat-trick of titles if the Rohit Sharma-led side had done things correctly last year when they finished fifth.

Mumbai Indians Squad For IPL 2022:

Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah, Arjun Tendulkar, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Tymal Mills, Riley Meredith, Ishan Kishan, Dewald Brevis, Anmolpreet Singh, Basil Thampi, Murugan Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Markande, N Tilak Varma, Sanjay Yadav, Jofra Archer, Daniel Sams, Tim David, Mohd Arshad Khan, Ramandeep Singh, Rahul Buddhi, Aryan Juyal, Hrithik Shokeen, Fabian Allen

Mumbai Indians SWOT Analysis IPL 2022:

Strength – MI have deep line-ups

The success of the Mumbai Indians is due to their core group. The five-time champions will hope that veteran members of their squad, such as Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Kieron Pollard, and Suryakumar Yadav, have another successful season. The franchise’s outstanding performer, Ishan Kishan, will be welcomed with open arms at the top of the order, alongside skipper Rohit Sharma. Power hitters like Tim David and Dewald Brevis, and Pollard can deliver a strong finish, especially now that Hardik Pandya has been dropped from the squad.

Weakness – Death bowling is still a concern

The Mumbai Indians will be without express pacer Jofra Archer, who would have been an ideal partner for Jasprit Bumrah to share the new ball and stop the flow of runs in the dying overs. Due to the absence of Jofra Archer, skipper Rohit Sharma will consider other possibilities like Tymal Mills, Riley Meredith, Basil Thampi, and Jaydev Unadkat. Given his wicket-taking talents, even Jasprit Bumrah has been known to have a bad day or two at the workplace in the past.

The club will also be without leg-spinner Rahul Chahar, who was one of the team’s most essential bowlers Jasprit Bumrah. Murugan Ashwin and Mayank Markande will be tasked with filling the spinner shortage in the team.

Opportunity – Foreign will try to find their role in MI

It will be interesting to watch how South Africa’s U19 World Cup hero Dewald Brevis fits into Mumbai Indians’s hugely laden batting order. Tim David, who is known for his devastating power with the bat down the order, will be eager to show off his skills in the gala tournament as well. Fabian Allen might be a like-to-like substitute for Pollard’s captain as a West Indies all-rounder.

English pacer Tymal Mills could be an excellent alternative to bowl with Jasprit Bumrah in the death overs, given his deceptive slower balls and pinpoint yorkers. Similarly, Australian pacer Riley Meredith, who had a difficult season with Punjab Kings last year, could be a viable option due to his wicket-taking abilities in the middle overs. 

Threats – Injury problems

Injury threats could become one of MI’s significant concerns, as they have plagued the team in prior seasons. The biggest issue with Archer now out is whether Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma will play the entire season, given injuries in previous tournaments have plagued him. The team will be without a fearsome batter and captaincy abilities if that happens.

Mumbai Indians Schedule In IPL 2022:

On March 6, the BCCI announced the schedule for the 15th edition of the tournament, which will begin on March 26 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium with last year’s finalists Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.

Meanwhile, the five-time champions will begin their season on March 27 against the Delhi Capitals at the CCI Stadium in Brabourne. The middle-order will be the biggest test for Mumbai Indians this season, and it’s unclear where Kieron Pollard will find his much-needed support after the club decides to part ways with Hardik and Krunal Pandya.

The five-time champions named skipper Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Suryakumar Yadav, and speedster Jasprit Bumrah as necessary retainers on November 30, 2021. At the IPL 2022 huge auction last month, they signed Tim David (INR 8.25 crore), Basil Thampi (INR 30 lakh), Murugan Ashwin (INR 1.6 crore), Dewald Brevis (INR 3 crore), Jaydev Unadkat (INR 1.30 crore), and others. The five-time champions outbid all other clubs to bring back teenage wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan for a whopping INR 15.25 crore.

While Mumbai Indians brought England pacer Jofra Archer for INR 8 crore at the Bengaluru two-day tournament, it should be noted that due to an elbow injury, the tearaway fast bowler will only be eligible for the 2023 season. With a rebuilt line-up, the Mumbai Indians will be hoping to go the distance and win a record sixth IPL crown this time around.

Check Out the Full IPL 2022 Schedule here.