Mumbai Indians - Perfect team performance from the IPL champions

Every Mumbaikar’s dream has finally came true. The IPL is finally theirs, after 5 seasons of ‘so-close-yet–so-far’ moments. They came closest in the 2010 edition, where they were defeated by Dhoni’s excellent tactics. But not this time. This time, the cup belongs to Mumbai!

So, what was their success formula?

First of all, the opening worries were sorted out at the near-end of the tournament. When the Sachin-Ponting combo did no good to the team, Ponting made a wise decision of bringing in Dwayne Smith. Like other West Indians in IPL, Dwayne Smith provided some match-winning contributions at the top of the order, with some blitzkrieg batting. So one major problem was sorted out – the opening combo.

Next comes Ponting’s wise decision making. After a few matches, he knew his limitations. He knew he was more of a liability for the team on the ground. So he decided to take up the role of a mentor, appointing Rohit Sharma as captain. This did wonders for the team. Not only was Rohit Sharma’s decision making wise enough, but even Ponting’s foreign replacement, Dwayne Smith, played an important role in the team’s success. So Ponting’s decision making turned out to be a masterstroke after all.

Then comes the Pollard factor. Many still argue that Sachin’s decision to bring Pollard down the order in the 2010 final was the game-changer. Yes, it might be, but this time, both Ponting and Rohit Sharma gave the destructive cricketer the chance he deserved. He came out to bat, whether it be 3 down or 4 down, according to the team’s needs. Also, his contribution in bowling and fielding was invaluable. Pollard was the trump card for Mumbai Indians, and in this season, they used him perfectly.

And the Mumbai Indian bowlers – Lasith Malinga, Mitchell Johnson, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, do I need to say anything Mumbai Indians probably had the best bowling line-up in the league (maybe along with Sunrisers Hyderabad). Mitchell Johnson was the best of all, providing initial breakthroughs with some excellent swing bowling. Malinga was not at his best initially, but his yorkers were still unplayable. Even the Orange Cap holder Mike Hussey did not have any answer to his yorker. Harbhajan Singh has improved dramatically, relying more on traditional spin rather than variations and Ojha gave all the support Harbhajan wanted. The Mumbai Indians’ bowlers were spot on, and had a huge role to play in the team’s success.

And finally, the men who led them all – Rohit Sharma and Ricky Ponting. The team was led well by Ricky Ponting in the beginning, but later, after finding himself to be a liability for the team, the Aussie decided to drop himself and make Rohit Sharma the captain. And he did not disappoint at all. Rohit Sharma was at his best, both in captaincy and batting. He played like a man on a mission. His batting was as good as his strategies. He has clearly shown that he can lead well, and he will surely be a future contender Indian captaincy.

In short, Mumbai Indians played like a team this time. Everyone contributed to the team’s victories. It is sad to see Sachin retiring from IPL, but this time, his timing is perfect. Thank you Sachin for all the memories you gave in IPL. And finally, the MI team gave justice to their team motto. “Is baar sach me duniya hila ke rakh dia!” Congrats Mumbai Indians!