Only a few games into the season, and fans have already lived through a final-over finish and a super-over; it&#8217;s fair to say that the 2020 IPL has got off to a flying start. But the same cannot be said about Mumbai Indians (MI), last season&#8217;s champions.

In their opening match against the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rr-vs-csk-live-streaming-match-preview-timings-stats-pitch-report-more-for-dream11-ipl-match-4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a> last Saturday, the MI team couldn&#8217;t live up to its stellar reputation. There were a few, visible areas of concern with the team and its on-field performance; some of them directly responsible for the five-wicket defeat against CSK.

That said, the MI paltan shouldn&#8217;t be fretting just yet- they do tend to start slow, especially on even-numbered years. But there&#8217;s no doubt captain Rohit Sharma and his blue brigade would be eager to get back to winning ways in their next match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

MI would be eager to maintain their stellar, 19: 6 win-loss ratio against the KKR, and to achieve that, they might have to tinker with their incumbent combination.

So here&#8217;s a look at three tactical changes the Mumbai Indians could use in their upcoming clash against KKR: &#8211;

1) Use Kieron Pollard&#8217;s skillsets optimally

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-329415" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kieron-Pollard-2.jpg" alt="Kieron Pollard" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-329415" class="wp-caption-text">Kieron Pollard. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

Pollard, the current captain of the West Indies LOI teams and Mumbai&#8217;s vice-captain, has been associated with Mumbai since 2010. His best innings for MI have come lower down the order- typically at number six or seven- where he has flourished as a hard-hitting finisher. Against the CSK too, Pollard walked in to bat at six at the 14th over, with MI expecting him to rip Chennai&#8217;s bowling apart.

But the move didn&#8217;t work well, as Pollard finished with only 18 runs from 14 balls. He struck a couple of boundaries, but it was clear that he would&#8217;ve scored more briskly had he arrived to bat a bit earlier. Which is exactly what the MI management should consider doing for the next match.

In recent times, Pollard has fared much better batting at two-down or three down positions. The added time at the crease allows him to read and grasp the match situation well; which, in turn, allows him to take the game deeper and unleash his pyrotechnics when the team most needs them.

Besides promoting his batting position, skipper Rohit Sharma should also start reconsidering the Trinidadian as a genuine bowling option. Pollard&#8217;s stunning all-round brilliance at the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League even earned him the Man of the Series award there.

And while his swashbuckling batting was the more dominating aspect; his tally of 8-wickets- including a 4-for against St. Lucia Zouks in the final- were extremely crucial to Trinibago Knight Riders&#8217; (TKR) 12 win-streak campaign.

2) Mitchell McClenaghan in for James Pattinson

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-136726" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mitchell-McClenaghan-MI.jpg" alt="Mitchell McClenaghan MI" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-136726" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

James Pattinson, the Australian speedster, arrived late on to MI&#8217;s IPL scene as an eleventh-hour replacement to Lasith Malinga. If it wasn&#8217;t for his fellow Australia pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile&#8217;s niggles, he probably wouldn&#8217;t have featured in the playing XI. That said, Pattinson did have quite a memorable debut; scoring some quick runs, picking a wicket in his first over, and collecting an impressive, running catch.

But against KKR, MI would probably be better off tweaking the combination, and roping in the more experienced Mitchell McClenaghan, who has the knack of picking up key wickets upfront in the powerplay. His average of 27.41 during that period is among the best in the tournament, and should come in handy against the KKR top-order.

He also possesses a nasty bouncer, which- if used properly on Abu Dhabi&#8217;s dry surface- could be the bane for many a batsman. Sunil Narine, in particular, should beware the short-ball.

With Trent Boult and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/jasprit-bumrah-is-bowling-yorkers-consistently-and-there-are-very-less-bowlers-like-that-brett-lee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jasprit Bumrah</a> partnering him on either end, MI would have much variety in their lineup. Additionally, McClenaghan&#8217;s fiery, short-pitched deliveries should be key against the tailenders at the death; should the situation come to that point.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339916" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jayant-Yadav.jpg" alt="Jayant Yadav" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339916" class="wp-caption-text">Jayant Yadav. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

The Pandya brothers- Krunal and Hardik- have been a central cog in the Mumbai side over the last few seasons. The duo- thanks to the allround skills they bring to the table- offer clinical balance to the MI team. Their roles vary as per situation, but Hardik mostly operates as a swashbuckling, middle-order batsman who can bowl some filler overs. Krunal, meanwhile, usually plays as a complete four-overs, left-arm-orthodox spinner and fills in as a floater batsman.

Against KKR, though, MI might not mind just tipping some of that balance off to accommodate a right-arm spinner in their ranks. With the addition of Eoin Morgan; Kolkata now have as many as three left-handed batsmen (Narine and Nitish Rana) in the side. Considering the natural disadvantage left-arm off-spinners have against batsmen with the same strong-arm, Krunal&#8217;s utility gets somewhat diminished.

Thankfully, Mumbai has the option of playing Jayant Yadav, an almost like-for-like replacement for Krunal. The seasoned Haryana off-break bowler has a reputation for bowling miserly spells. Alongside the more attacking leggie Rahul Chahar, Jayant can spin a web around KKR&#8217;s batting order and leave their run-scoring means strangled. Add to those bowling skills an impressive strike rate of 112.28 in T20s, and MI have a handy, spin-bowling tailender in their side.

~Written by Soham Bhowal

Only a few games into the season, and fans have already lived through a final-over finish and a super-over; it’s fair to say that the 2020 IPL has got off to a flying start. But the same cannot be said about Mumbai Indians (MI), last season’s champions.
In their opening match against the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rr-vs-csk-live-streaming-match-preview-timings-stats-pitch-report-more-for-dream11-ipl-match-4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a> last Saturday, the MI team couldn’t live up to its stellar reputation. There were a few, visible areas of concern with the team and its on-field performance; some of them directly responsible for the five-wicket defeat against CSK.&nbsp;
That said, the MI paltan shouldn’t be fretting just yet- they do tend to start slow, especially on even-numbered years. But there’s no doubt captain Rohit Sharma and his blue brigade would be eager to get back to winning ways in their next match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). 
MI would be eager to maintain their stellar, 19: 6 win-loss ratio against the KKR, and to achieve that, they might have to tinker with their incumbent combination.
<h3>So here’s a look at three tactical changes the Mumbai Indians could use in their upcoming clash against KKR: –</h3>
<h3>1) Use Kieron Pollard’s skillsets optimally</h3>
<figure id="attachment_329415" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-329415" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-329415" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kieron-Pollard-2.jpg" alt="Kieron Pollard" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-329415" class="wp-caption-text">Kieron Pollard. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Pollard, the current captain of the West Indies LOI teams and Mumbai’s vice-captain, has been associated with Mumbai since 2010. His best innings for MI have come lower down the order- typically at number six or seven- where he has flourished as a hard-hitting finisher. Against the CSK too, Pollard walked in to bat at six at the 14th over, with MI expecting him to rip Chennai’s bowling apart.&nbsp;
But the move didn’t work well, as Pollard finished with only 18 runs from 14 balls. He struck a couple of boundaries, but it was clear that he would’ve scored more briskly had he arrived to bat a bit earlier. Which is exactly what the MI management should consider doing for the next match.
In recent times, Pollard has fared much better batting at two-down or three down positions. The added time at the crease allows him to read and grasp the match situation well; which, in turn, allows him to take the game deeper and unleash his pyrotechnics when the team most needs them.
Besides promoting his batting position, skipper Rohit Sharma should also start reconsidering the Trinidadian as a genuine bowling option. Pollard’s stunning all-round brilliance at the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League even earned him the Man of the Series award there. 
And while his swashbuckling batting was the more dominating aspect; his tally of 8-wickets- including a 4-for against St. Lucia Zouks in the final- were extremely crucial to Trinibago Knight Riders’ (TKR) 12 win-streak campaign.

<h3>2) Mitchell McClenaghan in for James Pattinson</h3>
<figure id="attachment_136726" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-136726" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-136726" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mitchell-McClenaghan-MI.jpg" alt="Mitchell McClenaghan MI" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-136726" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
James Pattinson, the Australian speedster, arrived late on to MI’s IPL scene as an eleventh-hour replacement to Lasith Malinga. If it wasn’t for his fellow Australia pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile’s niggles, he probably wouldn’t have featured in the playing XI. That said, Pattinson did have quite a memorable debut; scoring some quick runs, picking a wicket in his first over, and collecting an impressive, running catch.&nbsp;
But against KKR, MI would probably be better off tweaking the combination, and roping in the more experienced Mitchell McClenaghan, who has the knack of picking up key wickets upfront in the powerplay. His average of 27.41 during that period is among the best in the tournament, and should come in handy against the KKR top-order. 
He also possesses a nasty bouncer, which- if used properly on Abu Dhabi’s dry surface- could be the bane for many a batsman. Sunil Narine, in particular, should beware the short-ball.&nbsp;
With Trent Boult and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/jasprit-bumrah-is-bowling-yorkers-consistently-and-there-are-very-less-bowlers-like-that-brett-lee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jasprit Bumrah</a> partnering him on either end, MI would have much variety in their lineup. Additionally, McClenaghan’s fiery, short-pitched deliveries should be key against the tailenders at the death; should the situation come to that point.&nbsp;

<h3>3) Jayant Yadav for Krunal Pandya</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339916" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339916" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-339916" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jayant-Yadav.jpg" alt="Jayant Yadav" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339916" class="wp-caption-text">Jayant Yadav. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The Pandya brothers- Krunal and Hardik- have been a central cog in the Mumbai side over the last few seasons. The duo- thanks to the allround skills they bring to the table- offer clinical balance to the MI team. Their roles vary as per situation, but Hardik mostly operates as a swashbuckling, middle-order batsman who can bowl some filler overs. Krunal, meanwhile, usually plays as a complete four-overs, left-arm-orthodox spinner and fills in as a floater batsman.&nbsp;
Against KKR, though, MI might not mind just tipping some of that balance off to accommodate a right-arm spinner in their ranks. With the addition of Eoin Morgan; Kolkata now have as many as three left-handed batsmen (Narine and Nitish Rana) in the side. Considering the natural disadvantage left-arm off-spinners have against batsmen with the same strong-arm, Krunal’s utility gets somewhat diminished.
Thankfully, Mumbai has the option of playing Jayant Yadav, an almost like-for-like replacement for Krunal. The seasoned Haryana off-break bowler has a reputation for bowling miserly spells. Alongside the more attacking leggie Rahul Chahar, Jayant can spin a web around KKR’s batting order and leave their run-scoring means strangled. Add to those bowling skills an impressive strike rate of 112.28 in T20s, and MI have a handy, spin-bowling tailender in their side.&nbsp;
~Written by Soham Bhowal

Only a few games into the season, and fans have already lived through a final-over finish and a super-over; it&#8217;s fair to say that the 2020 IPL has got off to a flying start. But the same cannot be said about Mumbai Indians (MI), last season&#8217;s champions.
In their opening match against the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rr-vs-csk-live-streaming-match-preview-timings-stats-pitch-report-more-for-dream11-ipl-match-4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a> last Saturday, the MI team couldn&#8217;t live up to its stellar reputation. There were a few, visible areas of concern with the team and its on-field performance; some of them directly responsible for the five-wicket defeat against CSK. 
That said, the MI paltan shouldn&#8217;t be fretting just yet- they do tend to start slow, especially on even-numbered years. But there&#8217;s no doubt captain Rohit Sharma and his blue brigade would be eager to get back to winning ways in their next match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). 
MI would be eager to maintain their stellar, 19: 6 win-loss ratio against the KKR, and to achieve that, they might have to tinker with their incumbent combination.
<h3>So here&#8217;s a look at three tactical changes the Mumbai Indians could use in their upcoming clash against KKR: &#8211;</h3>
<h3>1) Use Kieron Pollard&#8217;s skillsets optimally</h3>
<figure id="attachment_329415" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-329415" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-329415" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kieron-Pollard-2.jpg" alt="Kieron Pollard" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-329415" class="wp-caption-text">Kieron Pollard. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Pollard, the current captain of the West Indies LOI teams and Mumbai&#8217;s vice-captain, has been associated with Mumbai since 2010. His best innings for MI have come lower down the order- typically at number six or seven- where he has flourished as a hard-hitting finisher. Against the CSK too, Pollard walked in to bat at six at the 14th over, with MI expecting him to rip Chennai&#8217;s bowling apart. 
But the move didn&#8217;t work well, as Pollard finished with only 18 runs from 14 balls. He struck a couple of boundaries, but it was clear that he would&#8217;ve scored more briskly had he arrived to bat a bit earlier. Which is exactly what the MI management should consider doing for the next match.
In recent times, Pollard has fared much better batting at two-down or three down positions. The added time at the crease allows him to read and grasp the match situation well; which, in turn, allows him to take the game deeper and unleash his pyrotechnics when the team most needs them.
Besides promoting his batting position, skipper Rohit Sharma should also start reconsidering the Trinidadian as a genuine bowling option. Pollard&#8217;s stunning all-round brilliance at the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League even earned him the Man of the Series award there. 
And while his swashbuckling batting was the more dominating aspect; his tally of 8-wickets- including a 4-for against St. Lucia Zouks in the final- were extremely crucial to Trinibago Knight Riders&#8217; (TKR) 12 win-streak campaign.

<h3>2) Mitchell McClenaghan in for James Pattinson</h3>
<figure id="attachment_136726" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-136726" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-136726" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mitchell-McClenaghan-MI.jpg" alt="Mitchell McClenaghan MI" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-136726" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
James Pattinson, the Australian speedster, arrived late on to MI&#8217;s IPL scene as an eleventh-hour replacement to Lasith Malinga. If it wasn&#8217;t for his fellow Australia pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile&#8217;s niggles, he probably wouldn&#8217;t have featured in the playing XI. That said, Pattinson did have quite a memorable debut; scoring some quick runs, picking a wicket in his first over, and collecting an impressive, running catch. 
But against KKR, MI would probably be better off tweaking the combination, and roping in the more experienced Mitchell McClenaghan, who has the knack of picking up key wickets upfront in the powerplay. His average of 27.41 during that period is among the best in the tournament, and should come in handy against the KKR top-order. 
He also possesses a nasty bouncer, which- if used properly on Abu Dhabi&#8217;s dry surface- could be the bane for many a batsman. Sunil Narine, in particular, should beware the short-ball. 
With Trent Boult and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/jasprit-bumrah-is-bowling-yorkers-consistently-and-there-are-very-less-bowlers-like-that-brett-lee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jasprit Bumrah</a> partnering him on either end, MI would have much variety in their lineup. Additionally, McClenaghan&#8217;s fiery, short-pitched deliveries should be key against the tailenders at the death; should the situation come to that point. 

<h3>3) Jayant Yadav for Krunal Pandya</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339916" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339916" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339916" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jayant-Yadav.jpg" alt="Jayant Yadav" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339916" class="wp-caption-text">Jayant Yadav. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The Pandya brothers- Krunal and Hardik- have been a central cog in the Mumbai side over the last few seasons. The duo- thanks to the allround skills they bring to the table- offer clinical balance to the MI team. Their roles vary as per situation, but Hardik mostly operates as a swashbuckling, middle-order batsman who can bowl some filler overs. Krunal, meanwhile, usually plays as a complete four-overs, left-arm-orthodox spinner and fills in as a floater batsman. 
Against KKR, though, MI might not mind just tipping some of that balance off to accommodate a right-arm spinner in their ranks. With the addition of Eoin Morgan; Kolkata now have as many as three left-handed batsmen (Narine and Nitish Rana) in the side. Considering the natural disadvantage left-arm off-spinners have against batsmen with the same strong-arm, Krunal&#8217;s utility gets somewhat diminished.
Thankfully, Mumbai has the option of playing Jayant Yadav, an almost like-for-like replacement for Krunal. The seasoned Haryana off-break bowler has a reputation for bowling miserly spells. Alongside the more attacking leggie Rahul Chahar, Jayant can spin a web around KKR&#8217;s batting order and leave their run-scoring means strangled. Add to those bowling skills an impressive strike rate of 112.28 in T20s, and MI have a handy, spin-bowling tailender in their side. 
~Written by Soham Bhowal

MI lost their opening game to CSK by five wickets.

IPL 2020: 3 changes Mumbai Indians should make in their playing XI against the Kolkata Knight Riders

But the same cannot be said about Mumbai Indians (MI), last season's defending champions.In their opening match against the