IPL 2010 preview: Mumbai Indians Print E-mail
Category: Previews
Written by Luke Tagg   
Wednesday, 24 February 2010 21:59
The second in a series of team previews for the 2010 Indian Premier League, in reverse order of how the teams finished in 2009.

The Mumbai Indians have promised much but delivered little in the IPL thus far, failing to make the playoffs in either of the first two editions.

Despite their failings they were the most-watched team in IPL 1 and are still one of the most popular sides, due in no small part to their captain, Sachin Tendulkar.

They have shown that they are not taking their past failures lightly by spending an obscene amount of money on purchasing the big-hitting West Indian allrounder Kieron Pollard at this year's IPL auction - the most money spent by any franchise on a single player.

Interestingly, the franchise they had to outbid to win Pollard was the Kolkata Knight Riders - the only team worse than the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2.

At least both sides have their priorities right.

There aren't that many big name players amongst the Indian players, although you could do worse than Sachin, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh.

But they have plenty of talented youngsters, including medium-pacer Dhawal Kulkarni; left-handed middle order batsman Saurabh Tiwary, who was instrumental in India's winning U-19 World Cup campaign in 2008; all-rounder Abhishek Nayar and batsman Shikhar Dhawan, who was successful for the Delhi Daredevils in IPL 1 and was promptly traded to Mumbai Indians in exchange for Ashish Nehra.

They also have some very strong international players, not least of which Pollard. The man is a six-machine. Sanath Jayasuriya needs no introduction to big hitting, JP Duminy was the leading run-scorer in IPL 2 and Slinga Malinga is the business at the end of an innings.

They have the side to do well - there's plenty of balance. Here's the squad:

Indian Players

Sachin Tendulkar (c)
Ambati Rayudu
Chandan Madan
Syed Sahabuddin
Dhawal Kulkarni
Shikhar Dhawan
Zaheer Khan
Ali Murtaza
Saurabh Tiwary
R Sathish
Aditya Tare
Ishan Malhotra
Rahul Shukla
Abhishek Nayar
Harbhajan Singh

International Players

Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
Kieron Pollard (West Indies)
Graham Napier (England)
Dilhara Fernando (Sri Lanka)
Dwayne Bravo (West Indies)
JP Duminy (South Africa)
Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)
Ryan McLaren (South Africa)

If I were to compile a starting XI from that lot, using all four international players that are permissible and the minimum required two U-22s, I'd come up with this:

1. Shikhar Dhawan
2. Sanath Jayasuriya (int)
3. Sachin Tendulkar (c)
4. JP Duminy (int)
5. Saurabh Tiwary (u-22)
6. Kieron Pollard (int)
7. Abhishek Nayar
8. Aditya Tare (wk, u-22)
9. Harbhajan Singh
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Lasith Malinga (int)

It's a pretty strong bowling attack - aside from Malinga, Harbhajan and Zaheer, there's medium pace from Pollard and Nayar to go with spin from Jayasuriya, Duminy and Sachin.

Eight bowlers, all of whom can do a job. Not bad.

The batting is pretty stacked as well, when you consider the recent form of Zaheer down the order in international cricket. Jayasuriya, Pollard and Nayar will be expected to hit the big runs while Sachin and Duminy keep the run rate ticking over.

The ingredients are there, as are the genuine matchwinners. I reckon this will be the year the Mumbai Indians break their duck and make it to the playoffs for the first time.

Thereafter, anything's possible.

A lot rests on the shoulders of Tendulkar - the good news for Mumbai is that his form couldn't be any better right now. Unless you think 200* in an ODI is a sign that he's hopelessly out of form.

But for Mumbai to challenge the title you feel it's going to be up to Pollard with the bat and Malinga with the ball to produce the big performances. They are the two guys who can take any game away from you or sneak home any score.

A good year is on the cards for Mumbai, is my prediction.

More: IPL 2010 squads - a handy guide
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