#360view: Mumbai enjoy leaving it late

Jaideep Marar 08:44 10/05/2015
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  • Mumbai have the backing of stars such as Tendulkar (l).

    Rising late is a habit that is proving to be quite fruitful for Mumbai Indians. For the third Twenty20 tournament in succession, they have put a poor start behind them and roared into contention after a run of successive victories.

    It all started with their Champions League T20 campaign two years ago where Mumbai were defeated first time out before the second game was rained off. They then went on to win all of their remaining games and clinch the title in a superb turnaround.

    The trend continued the following IPL season when, after losing all five games in the UAE leg, Mumbai won seven of the remaining nine league matches to make the play-off cut. That time around, their campaign ended in the Eliminator where defeat was suffered at the hands of Chennai Super Kings.

    It is a pattern that has been repeated in the 2015 edition of the IPL.

    Another disastrous start saw them lose five of their first six games before the now-predictable return to form which has seen the Indians win their next five and make a strong bid for a top four finish. 

    In the last three IPL tournaments, Mumbai have lost their first match and they generally take time to gain momentum. One they secure that first win, however, they are well and truly on their way. 

    Driving the team’s fortunes is a core group comprising of captain Rohit Sharma, middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu, all-rounder Kieron Pollard, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and pacer Lasith Malinga.

    It is very rare that all of these stars have an off day, which means there is always at least one big player stepping up to the plate and delivering.

    Another factor that drives the Mumbai players is the presence of Ricky Ponting (head coach) and Sachin Tendulkar (mentor) in the dressing room. No team in the IPL can boast such quality in the dugout and with these legendary figures cheering every big hit or key wicket, the Mumbai boys are never short on inspiration.

    One area where they have often struggled is finding the right opening combination. Last season, they tested five different pairs before settling on Lendl Simmons and Michael Hussey.

    With Hussey moving to Chennai this season, Mumbai were once again in a fix. But they sorted it out quickly after trying out two combinations in the first three games where Australian Aaron Finch opened with Sharma and then with Parthiv Patel.

    Once Finch was injured and ruled out of the season, Simmons teamed up with Patel and has formed one of the most flourishing opening stands in IPL8. The duo have been key in Mumbai’s surge with partnerships of 42, 43, 111, 1 and 84 in the last five games.

    In fact, Simmons (277) and Patel (213) have been among the top run-getters for the team this season.

    IPL debutants Hardik Pandya, with his all-round skills, and Jagadeesha Suchith, with his left-arm spin, have matched the seniors and turned in some sterling displays.

    Kiwi quick Mitchell McClenaghan (10 wickets) has been another valuable addition, providing depth to an attack spearheaded by Malinga (15 wickets) and Harbhajan (12 wickets).

    Mumbai, who have 12 points from 11 games, are not yet assured of a play-off spot as five teams – leaders Kolkata (15 points), Chennai and Rajasthan (both on 14), Hyderabad (12) and Bangalore (11) – are also in the fray.

    But judging by the manner in which they have been registering wins and seizing crucial moments, it won’t be a surprise if Mumbai win their remaining three games and seal a spot in the top four.

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