Predicting Mumbai's playing XI for their first game

The Mumbai franchise of the Indian T20 League is the most successful team in the history of the tournament. In the 14 seasons of the T20 extravaganza, Mumbai has lifted the prized trophy five times, the highest by any team. Mumbai struggled in the last season and will be looking for stronger performance in the upcoming edition. They have always been known to put together balanced squads for the tournament and this year is no different.

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Let’s look at the probable XI for Mumbai that may take the field in their opening clash against Delhi on the 27th of March,2022.

Openers

1.Rohit Sharma (Captain): Rohit will once again be leading the Mumbai team. The role of an opener is not strange to him. He is known for his steady start and then blasting the bowlers to all parts of the ground once he settles down. Rohit’s role as an opener this season will be very crucial as he will be looking to give Mumbai some good starts.

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2.Ishan Kishan (Wicket Keeper): Ishan Kishan was the highest-paid player in the mega auction as he was bought back for 15.25 Cr INR by the Mumbai team. Ishan in his short career is already famous for his aggressive batting style. His style of going after the bowling from the very beginning will complement Rohit’s initial style of trying to settle down.

Middle Order

3.Surya Kumar Yadav: Surya Yadav has been an integral part of Mumbai’s middle order for the past few seasons. Surya is a very dynamic player in the middle order. He can keep the scoreboard ticking and also score quick runs with his innovative shots. Thus, his presence is very essential for Mumbai as they will look to dominate the middle-overs to gain an advantage in the match.

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4.Tilak Verma: Tilak Verma is a new talent that Mumbai has invested in. He has a strike rate of 143.8 in his T20 career. He will be crucial in the middle order. 

5.Kieron Pollard (Overseas): Kieron Pollard has been the explosive factor in the middle order of the Mumbai team for very long. This year also, he will look to repeat his long-known antics and play some blasting knocks to see his team over the line. He can also be handy for a 2-3 overs spell with the ball in hand.

6.Tim David (Overseas): Tim David is the new middle order investment of Mumbai from Singapore. He has a strike rate of 158.9 in his T20 career. David along with Pollard on their day will be a headache for a lot of bowlers.

All Rounder

7.Daniel Sams (Overseas): Daniel Sams from Australia will bat in the lower order of Mumbai this upcoming season. Sams has a strike rate of 150.2 in his career, a very handy one for someone who will be expected to play the role of a finisher. Mumbai will also be expecting that he completes his spell of 4 overs as the 5th bowling option.

Bowlers

8.Tymal Mills (Overseas): The English left-armer will combine with Bumrah as the opening duo in the bowling department. Besides his variety of bouncers, slowers and yorkers will be very useful for the team.

9.Jasprit Bumrah: Bumrah will be looking to execute his wonderful bowling skills to perfection this year as well. His bowling with the new ball will help the team take early advantage, while he can again come in at the death and stop the run flow in the final overs.

10.Jaydev Unadkat: Unadkat with all his variations can be an asset to the team. He might be the weak link in the bowling given his high economy rate in the death overs. However, he will have a point to prove and Mumbai woud want to Test him in the initial matches of Indian T20 League.

11.Mayank Markande: Markande will be an interesting leg-spin option for the team. He was an immediate hit on his debut. But since then, he has failed to perform consistently. Markande will be looking to revive his form and aid in Mumbai's run to their sixth title.