IPL 2018: Mumbai Indians squad analysis

#3 Bowling

Bumrah will lead the team's pace attack

Mumbai Indians have one of the best pace attacks in the league. There is a genuine problem of plenty for them in the pace attack. Jasprit Bumrah, undoubtedly, will lead the pack being the master of the 20 overs format that he is (128 wickets from 111 T20s). Mustafizur Rehman from Bangladesh can be very lethal at the top as well as in the death overs and can prove to be an apt bowling partner for Bumrah. However, Pat Cummins also has a strong case in point, after his great run in the Ashes. Another Australian left-arm pacer Jason Behrendorff finds a place in the MI scheme of things and the pace attack looks good and complete with Pradeep Sangwan becoming the second Indian pacer who will be determined to put up a good performance.

Bumrah and Sangwan being Indian domestic pacers might immediately find their way into the side but with the likes of Evin Lewis, Keiron Pollard, JP Duminy and Sri Lanka’s Akila Dhananjaya (who is the only reputed spinner in the side) how many overseas pacers MI can afford to play is a big question.

The spin department, well, it seems hollow, as there are no proper spinners except for Dhananjaya (39 wickets in 44 T20s) and the youngster Rahul Chahar (8 wickets in 7 T20s). However, Dhananjaya’s inclusion in the side might just mean leaving out an overseas batsman or an all-rounder which would mean too big a price for letting him in. This means young Chahar and the all-rounders may well have to do the job for the team.