IPL 2022: MI Season Review
The five-time champions Mumbai Indians did not have a dream run in the IPL this year. They had a fine time at the auction as they focused on getting some good names under the banner, but lacked the substance in the games that they played. Mumbai had instilled a fear in the opposition after their phenomenal run since the inception of the league, but this year everything faded.
At the mega-auction this year, they let go of some of their finest players who had been a valuable asset for years and focused on building a team for the future. But their regulars could not perform. Mumbai ended up losing eight games straight in the tournament and became the first team to be eliminated from the race.
Ishan Kishan was on a roll in the initial games and scored back-to-back half-centuries, but they came in losing casues.s He was not able to impress much in the remaining games and failed to stand up to the expectations. Rohit Sharma’s poor form continued throughout the season, as he ended this edition without scoring a single half-century. MI’s new findings Tilak Varma, Tim David, and Daniel Sams proved to be valuable and provided crucial performances for their team.
With the absence of Suryakumar Yadav in the initial games, and the top order failing badly, Tilak Varma was the team’s Mr. Dependable. After Yadav’s return to the squad, Varma continued to display brilliance on the field as the two kept MI’s hopes high in every game. The Caribbean legend Kieron Pollard also failed to stand up to his duties as a finisher.
Though MI’s performances have been disappointing, the players were always determined to turn things around with every opportunity that they received. Towards the end of the tournament, Mumbai Indians’ performance changed drastically, and they bounced back like a unit even after being knocked out.
Jasprit Bumrah, who had a dry spell with the ball this season, bowled a brilliant spell, scalping his first-ever five-wicket haul in the IPL, which came against KKR, but unfortunately, he too got that in the losing cause. Sams in the bowling unit, and David as a finisher worked wonders for MI towards the final games.
Every team goes through a rough patch, and for a team like Mumbai, which has been ruling the Indian Premier League, such a drastic season was due. They are the most successful team in the IPL history for a reason, and thus the management will now focus to build a stronger and better team, with an aim to win their sixth title.
