IPL 2021: SWOT Analysis – Mumbai Indians look all set for a title hat-trick

When we talk about IPL contenders, Mumbai Indians (MI) top the list. They have been the most consistent IPL franchise and have lifted the title on five occasions. They successfully defended their IPL crown in the 2020 edition and look good to get a hat-trick of title wins. The success of the Mumbai Indians lies in the trust of the management in their players. Even if some player has an offseason, the franchise still backs him to come good. As a result, the core of the team is intact. Here’s the SWOT analysis for the Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2021 edition of the IPL.

Strengths

Over the years, Mumbai Indians have thrived on building a strong core unit. In Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock, they arguably have the best opening combination in the tournament. The duo compliments each other to perfection. De Kock’s attacking style of play gives Rohit Sharma some time to settle down. If De Kock is not available, MI have Chris Lynn at their disposal. In the middle order, they have two young stalwarts of Indian cricket, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan. The destructive Kieron Pollard and the Pandya brothers add a lot of depth to the side.

4️⃣ overs
4️⃣ wickets
1️⃣ double wicket maiden

An outstanding spell of bowling by Jasprit Bumrah to send Mumbai Indians through to the final of #IPL2020 ???

Where does he rank among the best T20 bowlers in world cricket? pic.twitter.com/c4XsRqqZ81

— ICC (@ICC) November 5, 2020

What makes Mumbai Indians such a dangerous opponent is the balance in their team. A strong batting line up is backed by a lethal bowling attack. The pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult are among the best white-ball bowlers going around. They also have in their arsenal their new recruit, Nathan Coulter-Nile, who is coming back from a successful Big Bash League (BBL).

Weakness

While the Mumbai Indians have plenty of decent bowling options, they don’t seem to have a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah. If the ace Indian pacer is not available for some reason, the Mumbai Indians will have to go to Dhawal Kulkarni, who has not been in the best of form. Also, the spin department looks slightly vulnerable. If put under pressure, as we saw in the limited-overs series against England, the duo of Krunal Pandya and Rahul Chahar can leak runs. Piyush Chawla too is not at his peak.

Opportunities

Jimmy Neesham has done exceptionally well for New Zealand but his IPL record is not something to boast about. The 14^th edition of the IPL will provide a great opportunity for him to make a case for higher bids in the next edition. Mumbai Indians have also roped in 20-year-old Marco Jansen. Not a lot of players must have faced him, and thus he could be used as a surprise package by the defending champions.

? आला रे ?

James Neesham ??
?: ₹ 50 Lakhs #OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #IPLAuction

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) February 18, 2021

Threats

A lot of key players in the Mumbai side are coming back from injuries. Whether it is Chris Lynn, Adam Milne, Nathan Coulter Nile or James Neesham, all have had issues with their fitness. In case some of their overseas players get injured midway, the Mumbai Indians could be in trouble as they will not have sufficient backups.