After languishing at the bottom half of the table in the first leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, Mumbai Indians (MI) made a solid comeback in the second leg. They finished in the 4th position after the league stage round and made it to Qualifier 2 of IPL 2023.
Mumbai Indians have had several injuries plaguing them in this season. From Jasprit Bumrah to Jofra Archer, several players were injured. Skipper Rohit Sharma had to lead a team of youngsters, veterans and inexperienced guys and he did a fabulous job.
The 5-time champions ultimately fell short in Qualifier 2 against a dominant Gujarat Titans (GT) side. The defending champions of IPL won the game by 62 runs and eventually qualified for the finals.
Mumbai however should be extremely proud of the way they staged a comeback. With numerous positives and plusses, they would be hoping to carry forward their good momentum into the next season too.
Piyush Chawla’s redemption
Senior Indian bowler Piyush Chawla had a fabulous IPL 2023. He finished as Mumbai’s highest wicket-taker and his bowling was a treat to watch. The 34-year-old cricketer proved all his naysayers wrong and bagged 22 wickets in 16 games.
The entire spin bowling department of MI hinged on him and he delivered the goods with perfection.
The rise of Aakash Madhwal
From being an engineer to playing tennis ball cricket till the age of 23 to representing MI in the IPL, Aakash Madhwal has come a long way. The 29-year-old was superb with the ball and finished as the 2nd highest wicket-taker of MI in IPL 2023.
Aakash Madhwal took 14 wickets in just 8 games and he grew from strength to strength in IPL 2023. In the coming years, he can become a potent force in the bowling department of Mumbai Indians alongside Jasprit Bumrah.
Surya Kumar Yadav’s heroics with the bat
After not having a great start to IPL 2023, Surya Kumar Yadav turned around his campaign like a boss. He played some outrageous shots and was an epitome of class and flamboyance. Yadav finished as the highest run-getter of Mumbai Indians as he amassed 605 runs in IPL 2023 at an exceptional strike-rate of 181.14.
Surya Kumar Yadav was the backbone of the batting department of Mumbai Indians and played like a warrior!
Rohit Sharma’s poor outing with the bat
Skipper Rohit Sharma might have been good with his captaincy changes and strategies but he had a horrendous season with the bat. He scored only 332 runs with the bat despite opening the batting and scored several single-digit scores.
His batting was a nightmare for him and he would be hoping to stage a strong comeback in IPL 2024.
Overall, Mumbai Indians had a terrific IPL 2023 campaign. With several problems affecting their side, the Mumbai team didn’t bog down under pressure and kept playing a good brand of cricket.
The likes of Tilka Verma, Cameron Green and Ishan Kishan too chipped in with their valuable contributions and made sure that MI reach Qualifier 2 of IPL 2023.
Also read: 3 Reasons Why Rohit Sharma Can Have A Good WTC Final
