IPL 20201 | Reigning behemoth MI primed to crush all comers

With an abundance of strengths and no obvious weakness, Rohit Sharma’s side is tipped to complete an unprecedented hat-trick of titles

They said it cannot win in the United Arab Emirates. It proved them wrong in 2020. They said it wins only during odd years. It proved them wrong in 2020. They now say no team has won a hat-trick of IPL titles. Mumbai Indians is set to pay them no heed again, given that it enters the 14th edition as the front-runner to win a record-extending sixth crown. Rohit Sharma’s army — oops, paltan — carries the tag of being the “the most well-prepared outfit” in the tournament’s history. It’s no wonder, therefore, that it has a ready-made replacement for each of its starting XI. Such is the bench strength that despite injuries and possible pandemic-enforced absences, MI can field a side full of international cricketers right through the season.