IPL 2017: Week 2 in review

Mumbai Indians

Nitish Rana has looked solid in the MI middle-order

Positive: Nitish Rana and the Pandya brothers

Historically, MI have been a team that have relied heavily on Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh and their four overseas players. This season things are different because of the continued emergence and excellent form of batsman Rana and the all-rounders Krunal and Hardik Pandya. The three of them are new-age cricketers: versatile, powerful and fearless. They take very close to MI having a complete T20 team.

Negative: Top order

Perhaps the only weakness in MI’s team right now is their top order. Although Parthiv Patel has played a couple of colourful innings this season he remains a weak link in terms of the scoring rate in an otherwise powerful team. Jos Buttler meanwhile has looked good, three times reaching 20 but not once passing 36. MI will hope Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten 40 versus GL turns his form around.

Tactical Tip: Don’t drop Buttler

Buttler must be persisted at the top of the order

Given Buttler’s inability to convert some starts there has been some speculation that Buttler’s position in the team is under threat. If it is, it shouldn't be. Buttler is one of the best ball-strikers in world cricket and could become MI’s very own AB de Villiers.

MI’s management have shown a lot of faith in Buttler in the past and now, with MI on a winning streak, they have an opportunity to play him into form. If he was to come good he could transform MI into title challengers to title favourites.

As written in this column last week, when Ambati Rayudu returns to fitness he should replace Parthiv in the team and Buttler take the gloves.

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Rising Pune Supergiant

Shardul Thakur has put into two excellent performances for RPS

Positive: Bowling performance v RCB

RPS’ defence of 162 against RCB was one of the best bowling performances in recent times in the IPL. Not only did RPS defend a score for the first time but they did it by setting a new record for the lowest score defended at the Chinnaswamy against RCB.

The intelligence, skill and character shown in that bowling display is hugely encouraging for the remainder of the season. The emergence of Shardul Thakur, who has had two good performances since coming into the team is significant: RPS desperately need an Indian seamer they can rely on.

Negative: Dhoni’s form

Dhoni has scored 61 runs at a run rate of just 5.22 runs per over so far this season. His run rate is the lowest of all players to have faced 70 balls so far the season. While RPS have another powerful hitter in Ben Stokes, the poor form of Dhoni is exposing RPS’ shallow batting depth and is also likely to be forcing their hand in the selection of Dan Christian ahead of Lockie Ferguson and Adam Zampa.

Tactical Tip: Bat Manoj Tiwary ahead of Dhoni

A player of Dhoni’s calibre cannot be written off but he is as likely to find some hitting form and consume fewer balls doing so batting in the final few overs of the innings, below Stokes and Tiwary, who displayed awesome power v RCB.