IPL 2019 PREVIEW: Will the real Mumbai Indians please stand up

It's been a rollercoaster ride in the Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians over the years, so what can the franchise's fans expect from their players in 2019?

Captain: Rohit Sharma

Coach: Mahela Jayawardene

Overseas players: Quinton de Kock, Ben Cutting, Kieron Pollard, Mitchell McClenaghan, Lasith Malinga, Adam Milne

Titles: 3 (2013, 2015, 2017)

2018 performance: Group stage

IPL SQUADS

Best performance: Champions (2013, 2015, 2017)

In: Quinton de Kock, Jayant Yadav, Yuvraj Singh, Barinder Sran, Jason Behrendorff, Anmolpreet Singh, Pankaj Jaswal, Lasith Malinga, Rasikh Salam,

Out: JP Duminy, Akila Dananjaya, Mohsin Khan, Tajinder Singh, Sharad Lumba, Pradeep Sangwan, MD Nidheesh, Saurabh Tiwary, Mustafizur Rahman

Star player: Hardik Pandya (T20 Player Index: 7th)

Biggest loss: JP Duminy 

^{Rohit Sharma leads Mumbai Indians}

Form

It’s very much peaks and troughs with the Indians, who have won the title three times but also failed to qualify for the knockouts on several occasions.

They initially struggled the first two seasons of the tournament in 2008 and 2009, but then finished as the runners up the following season.

Having won their last title in 2017 but failed to qualify for the knockout stages last year, it’s anyone’s guess how far Mumbai will go this year, but the strength of their current side suggests that it could be a good year for them.

IPL FIXTURES

Strengths

Pace won’t be too much of an issue for the quicks in the Indians side.

Jasprit Bumrah, Jason Behrendorff, Adam Milne and Lasith Malinga are all seamers capable of touching 90mph, and with the added benefit of bowling all-rounders such as Mitchell McClenaghan and Kieron Pollard, the attack could be a real force to be reckoned with.

Weaknesses

This side is one overseas superstar away from being very good indeed.

Mumbai could really do with an extra batsman at the top of the order to partner Rohit Sharma, as there’s not as much substance as there perhaps could be.

The franchise can call on the experience of Lasith Malinga

Squad: Evin Lewis, Siddhesh Lad, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Krunal Pandya, Ben Cutting, Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Anukul Roy, Pankaj Jaiswal, Aditya Tare, Quinton de Kock, Ishan Kishan, Mayank Markande, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar, Jason Behrendorff, Lasith Malinga, Adam Milne, Barinder Sran

Prediction: Group stage

Initial fixtures: March 24 - Delhi Capitals (h); March 28 - Royal Challengers Bangalore (a); March 30 - Kings XI Punjab (a); April 3 - Chennai Super Kings (h)