The Journey of Being Mumbai Indians

It was just another sultry summer evening, in the year 2010. IPL’s third instalment was about to conclude, its fan following was at its epitome, the winners of previous editions had firmly established its reputation as it showcased the ultimate thrill and unpredictability of T20 format. The final between the two darlings of IPL, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians was being a cat and mouse affair, with Mumbai desperately trying to catch up with CSK’s total of 160 odd on an increasingly sluggish surface. A host of familiar name in that star studded batting order had gone in their attempt (or lack of it!) at forcing the pace of their innings. Yet 7 of them had dragged their innings to nowhere and perished. The eighth, and the last recognized batsman of the team, was keeping the game alive with his trademark effortless power hitting. Here we are talking about the priciest IPL franchise boasting of players of enormous stature. But surely this team was somewhere dependant on this young giant of an individual.

Penultimate over, the belief in Mumbai camp was at its trail of return. The power of Pollard was in its flamboyant fury. A slightly worried Stephen Fleming contemplating in stoic silence. Even after considering Albie Morkel’s utility in CSK bowling line-ups of those times, he was prone to that assault as his pace was the perfect fodder for Pollard to blast away. He just had to watch out for that slower ball and if he would be there until the final delivery, chances were more tilted in favour of a MI victory. But, then came the masterstroke from country’s most charismatic strategist of that period (a pale shadow of his former self now, according to his own team’s owners.) MSD has shown his game awareness and out of the ordinary thought processes many a times in his legend of a career. But many, who have witnessed that match, would agree that he was at his adventurous best in that moment of brilliance. Pollard was backing his down the ground power hitting abilities and after another exceptional thwacking of the white leather delivered by Morkel as his 3^rd delivery of that penultimate over, Dhoni pulled off a strategic masterpiece. Fine leg was removed, square leg was pushed in front of square, Mid-off was deployed, still a believable proposition. But then arrived the surprise call, a Long-off is placed, too. A strategic challenge in cricket, apparently right from the book of some Chess piece positioning.

Pollard was not entirely brainless then, as he assumed himself this season after listening to one of the coveted Indian commentator who specializes in driving the state of cricket commentary in a polar opposite direction to what the great Sir Richie Benaud had envisioned and practised. Still this move by MSD was beyond his ability to decipher and was compounded by a juicy slower ball outside off stump. He duly provided the catch to mid-off and extinguished any trophy hopes for Sachin under his captaincy. The MI fans were dejected and a sense of helplessness against the talismanic stature of CSK had planted doubts about their future endeavours too.

Fast forward to this sultry summer evening of 21^st May 2017. MI are three times champions of this most sought-after league, leaving CSK and KKR behind. Two of them came against CSK, the latest one against their offspring, the spirited Pune Supergiants. Two Champions League trophy are firmly locked in their coveted cabinet. They are the kings now. Rohit Sharma, the man behind most of their success, was instrumental in inspiring their latest possession. Being a Deccan Chargers fan then, I rooted for them in that fateful finale of 2010, their disappointment culminating in a sense of feeling sorry for their failed attempt. Today they are the proud conquerors and their fans were treated with some topsy-turvy ride throughout the playoffs, cataloguing this victory as the sweetest of the lot.

And all this with some Pollard twist again. He had got his redemption in the previous successful IPL conquests, yet this time, after 7 years, when he is one of the MI mainstay and MSD, supposedly a shadow of his former self, collided in the tussle of this finale, stakes were lower, match situation was far from its climatic and critical part and MSD was not even the official field placer. Yet MI needed Pollard again, just to make a match out of their precarious situation. He responded with a straight effortless six. MSD, the de facto field placer this time, coaxed Steven Smith to play another of his strategic masterpiece. An unusual Long-off placed in front of sight screen, barely avoiding a straight angle from the stumps and there goes Pollard, downtown, straight into the hands of that fielder. Pollard tried to prove his mishearing right again, MSD had won another battle for his team.

Fortunately, this MI was not even remotely dependent on one individual, and this team’s Never Say Die attitude prevailed this time!