Mumbai Indians benefits from old-school bowling maneuvers

MI benefits from old-school bowling maneuvers during a season of inventive bowling strategies.

Despite the lack of conclusive statistical proof, a few techniques have proven to be particularly successful tactics for otherwise unlucky bowlers of Mumbai Indians in this Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Wides and traditional length balls on top of the off stump are those techniques. With these techniques, coaches, and mentors are coming up with strategies to recover some control over the flying and rampaging batters. Even as the bowlers hammered.

There had already been 679 wides before the halfway point of the season’s 55th match. By the end of the season, that figure is expected to surpass 734 from the previous year.
Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun previously defended wide balls. He said that they might annoy hitters and possibly lead to mistakes. It could also throw off their rhythm. Arun told Cricbuzz, “Two or three straight wides… and the batter might be tempted into an experimental shot.”

For clubs like Rajasthan Royals, who  came second in the points standings, have conceded the second-highest number of wides this season (83). The approach appeared to be working to some extent. The Delhi Capitals (78 wides) have also used this strategy with good results. They used this wide ball tactic to their advantage and defeated Chennai Super Kings in Visakhapatnam (Game 13, March 31).

With 66 wides, the Knight Riders, at the top of the standings, have done a good job of working it. This is how most pace bowlers typically bowl to annoy batsmen. Unfortunately, Mumbai Indians (88), who have interestingly bowled the most wide deliveries, have not exactly found success with this tactic. However, the Mumbai Indians haven’t had any success this season with anything.

The second tactic was evident in Monday night’s Mumbai Indians vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad match at the Wankhede. The bowlers attempted to bowl to a red-ball line while taking advantage of the slight grass and some surface help with the new ball. In his first two overs, Pat Cummins bowled mostly to an off-side line, sending the ball sailing over the off-stump.

Former India pacer and national selector Debasis Mohanty stated, “That can be effective in any format.” This was a few years back. Abhishek Sharma lost his wicket in the SunRisers Hyderabad innings for edging a ball that Sanjay Manjrekar described as a normal Test delivery on TV.