IPL2024: Has the Mumbai Indians’ comeback started?
Mumbai Indians (MI), mainstays of the Indian Premier League (IPL), have a history of sluggish starts in the competition. Looking back over the 17-year IPL history, the heavyweights have a habit of turning things around despite having bad starts to the season. MI is a team that really believes in finishing strong and has accomplished some seemingly impossible feats.
The five-time IPL winners have seen seasons in which they finished first in their league and then went on to win the championship. The 2015 season is proof of what MI is capable of; after losing their first four games and the supporters’ faith in the team had been dashed, they went on an incredible comeback to make it to the finals and deny Chennai Super Kings (CSK) an IPL victory for the third time. With two IPL championships under their belt, they tied CSK.
A thorough examination of the past indicates that MI lost their first five games before eventually qualifying for the playoffs in 2014. They began the 2018 season with three straight defeats and ended up in fifth place. Nevertheless, they had already lost eight straight games in the 2022 season, and as they were last in the standings, it was too late for them to make up ground.
IPL 2024 for MI thus far
MI’s start to the season was identical to last year’s, as they dropped their first three games before winning the next two and losing to CSK. They defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by nine runs on Thursday to capture their third victory of the season and maintain their chances of qualifying. However, because Rohit Sharma isn’t leading MI this time, the turnaround might be a little more challenging.
The team’s resurgence is mostly down to former MI captain Rohit, who has helped them win five trophies, a record he can be proud of. The 17th IPL season saw Hardik Pandya take over as captain, a decision that angered MI supporters everywhere.
The effects of Rohit on MI over time
Recently, Rohit appeared on the YouTube program Club Prairie Fire, which is co-hosted by former England captain Michael Vaughan and Australian icon Adam Gilchrist. He was questioned about the pattern in which MI would do badly early in the IPL and then improve as the competition went on. The Indian captain said that over the last ten years, he has been collaborating with the support personnel to establish a culture that aids the squad in recovering from difficult circumstances.
In the podcast, Rohit said, “This has been the story of Mumbai Indians for all these years—we start slow and then things start to change.” From 2013 to 2023, he served as the club’s leader. Because he was experienced at winning the Indian Premier League, he attempted to shape the team around his philosophy.
“I wanted to get the new people to (follow) my thought process because I know how the IPL works and what it takes to be a successful team,” Rohit said of the new hires.
