March is coming to an end, but with that, we are nearing the onset of the biggest cricketing extravaganza of all. Just four nights of sleep left before you witness your favourite Paltan taking the field and showcasing their mettle against the rest.

And with such a big occasion on its way, we got our Captain RO and Head Coach Mark Boucher to take on the stage and answer not only questions from the media but also a selected few of the ones you all had shared with us on our social channels, too. 

Skipper Rohit Sharma will complete 10 years as MI captain and when asked about his experience, he expressed his gratitude. He said, “Ten years is a long time. Playing for more than 10 years and being captain for 10 years, obviously, you are bound to create a lot of memories and I have loved each and every moment of it.

“If you ask me to single out any memories I won’t be able to. This team has given me a great opportunity to come out and express myself - first as a player and then as a leader. I’ve certainly enjoyed each and every moment of it.”

Boucher will be helming his first season as MI’s Head Coach and has already had a great start to proceedings with the goal set on his mind. “The start has been very good and it’s completely different to coaching international teams. The professionalism and attention to detail that MI show is amazing and our support staff has been amazing, as well,” he said.

“I am well aware of the fact that my job is to have results and hopefully we can get good results.

Hopefully, we can improve on last season. I have set some high standards. I want to win the trophy. I am not here to play for third place or fourth place. I want to win.”

After three years, IPL is back to its home-away format, with all players having to adapt to the travel and Rohit believes the team is ready to relive the atmosphere. “IPL through the years has happened home and away. I’m pretty sure all the guys and teams are used to playing one game at home and travel for the other one. To start with, it will feel slightly newish but I do not think it will take a lot of toll on the body, especially looking at our schedule. We have got a good schedule and it is important for us to utilize the time we get between the game to focus on recovery and make sure we are 100% for the next game.”

Jofra Archer’s return has been a highly-anticipated right from the IPL 2022 Auction, and I am sure, we are all simply thrilled to see him in action. And so is our Head Coach. When asked about MI’s bowling attack and the debut of Jofra, he said, “Our bowling attack is quite exciting for me. It is an unknown quantity. The way MI have selected their squad over the last few years is for you to have backups. And it is now the time for youngsters to show up. We have got the experiences but we have space for juniors to show up when the opportunity arises. Our bowling attack is the surprise package.

“Jofra is coming off a major injury. He has been playing quite a bit of cricket of late, which is good. So, yeah, I think he is in a good space at the moment. He is really ready to get out there and perform, which is a good space for us to be in. Hopefully, he can kickstart the IPL with  a bang!”

The new rules introduced this IPL 2023 season onwards is already believed to be a game-changer and both our Captain and Head Coach shared their views on that. Boucher said, “Rules changes are quite good and innovative. As for the Impact player rule, we are going to have to learn along the way. As the games go along, we will learn from our decisions and also from other teams’ decisions. The playing XI after the toss can be a lot influential, especially in conditions like India where dew plays a huge role.”

Rohit agreed, “It is interesting to have new innovations coming into the game. Only time will tell what happens and how teams cope up with the rule but I like the Impact Player coming in and changing the team after the toss. Luckily for us, we are playing last so we will be able to watch other teams and how beneficial it is for other teams.

However, one of the biggest misses for us this season will be the absence of ‘Boom Boom’ Jasprit Bumrah from our squad due to a back injury. “Losing Bumrah has been a big loss for us”, said Mark Boucher. Meanwhile, he is someone who also wants to see the brighter side of things and believes, “Bumrah's absence is big, but it will give multiple opportunities to young guys and hopefully they blend in and take the centre stage.”

With all the talks done, now it’s time for our Paltan to get down on the field and showcase some ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’ vibes. We already have goosebumps. And if you’re an MI fan too, we are sure, so do you!