While it feels like just a few days ago when we won our record-third VIIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) title, we have already entered 2018 and the roller-coaster ride for this year’s season has already commenced. The all new squad for Mumbai Indians looks fresh with a perfect blend of experience and young talent. The experience from the likes of Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, J.P. Duminy and Jasprit Bumrah promises to shoulder a large share of the responsibility pie, while the young guns like Ishan Kishan and Rahul Chahar will look forward to bring some firepower in the squad.

One by one, we break down our squad into three categories and take a closer look at some of the talent at our disposal. We begin with the batsmen and wicket-keepers in our 2018 squad. The list is formidable and has the mettle to go the distance yet again.

Rohit Sharma:

The ‘Hitman’ a.k.a. Rohit Sharma has turned into one of the nation’s most experienced batsmen, and now he is the inseparable ingredient in the recipe of winning trophies for Mumbai Indians. What he brings to this fresh squad for the 11th edition of Vivo IPL is his wisdom of leading the squad from the front. His elegant playing style becomes the talk of the town whenever he make a meaty contribution with his willow and this attribute only seems to get better. His mere presence will certainly boost the pool of our young breed of players and foster them to strike the ball with some added confidence. Undoubtedly, Rohit continues to remain the back-bone of our batting line-up.

Evin Lewis:

This Trinidadian left-handed batsman will make his maiden entry to the Vivo IPL after being freshly bought by Mumbai Indians. Lewis is an exciting prospect and brings amazing fire-power to the table. He is only the third batsman to score two international T20 centuries, both of which came against India. He smashes five sixes off as many balls against Stuart Binny and the feat certainly grabbed world-wide attention. If Mumbai Indians desired a power hitter to tonk the new ball from the center of the bat, making that sweet knocking sound, there wouldn’t be any better choice than Evin Lewis.

Saurabh Tiwary:

Saurabh Tiwary is still remembered for his heroics in the 2010 season of the IPL, when he was named the Under-23 player of the tournament. The left-handed big-hitter was a part of our squad from 2008 to 2010. After moving around and playing for a few other teams, he was bought in the 2017 Vivo IPL auction. Tiwary didn’t disappoint when he scored a match-winning half-century when he got his opportunity to play in the 10th edition. We decided to get him back, once again in the 2018 auction. His powerful stroke-play and his unending hunger for runs surely strengthens our middle-order.

Suryakumar Yadav:

Suryakumar Yadav aka ‘SKY’ is one of those power-hitters who isn’t shy to innovate and play unorthodox shots. Yadav is a batsman, custom-made for the shorter format of the game. If paired with Kieron Pollard, the fans in the stadium would surely get a lot of catching practice. With the experience gained by playing some handy knocks for Kolkata Knight Riders, Suryakumar Yadav is well versed with the uncertainties of the game and can handle the pressure situations really well. He is certainly a valuable addition to the squad, and can bat anywhere in the batting order.

Siddhesh Lad:

Siddhesh Lad has claimed the tag of ‘Crisis Man’ on numerous occasions while playing for Mumbai in the domestic competitions. He believes this tag comes with a responsibility and he is always on his toes to shoulder it. Being a Mumbaikar, Siddhesh shares a good cricketing relationship with Rohit Sharma and Aditya Tare, and his appetite to learn has never ceased in all the years he has been with us. This season has a lot to offer and Siddhesh is all set to grab every opportunity that comes his way. Bought back into the squad, Lad’s abilities to stabilize the middle order in crisis situations can come In handy in a high pressure tournament like the Vivo IPL.

Ishan Kishan:

At 19, the young Ishan Kishan has already made an impression in the Vivo IPL. Having made his debut with Gujrat Lions, his attacking approach on the pitch has made him visible to the cricketing world. With his flexibility to play at various positions, the team will certainly benefit a lot from his skills. Kishan also brings his wicket-keeping skills to our disposal. His experience of leading India’s U-19 squad during the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2016 is a plus for us, as we have quite a young squad. With such massive talent, this youngster is just one match winning innings away from being the talk of the town.

Aditya Tare:

Wicket-keeper/batsman, Aditya Tare is yet another Mumbaikar in MI’s squad for 2018. This is not the first time he is getting acquainted to the Mumbai Indians family. He was part of the victorious campaigns of 2013 and 2015. And, who can forget the famous six smashed off the Australian all-rounder James Faulkner, which took this side past the net run-rate hurdle, straight into the playoffs. This champion is back with more experience in his bag, and is all set to impart all the experience for a side that belongs to his city. Aditya Tare is a supremely athletic wicket-keeper and will have an important role to play in the upcoming season.

Sharad Lumba:

Sharad Lumba is another exciting prospect for MI, as he comes with a solid cricketing background. He has consistently represented the U-17, U-19, U-22 and U-25 teams for Punjab, and his consistency with the bat has helped him to be the part of the Punjab team for the last three years. He is explosive with the bat and his addition to the team has surely added a cushion to the batting line up. We can be assured that Sharad is all set to prove his worth and deliver a smashing innings whenever called upon. A long & exciting season awaits us, and his services for the team would be as essential as anyone.