Believe it or not, in the kaleidoscope of narratives that the IPL paints season after season, one recurring motif unfurls itself with the intrigue of an unsolved enigma – the sluggish start Mumbai Indians (MI) undergo each year! And this year is no different. No, don’t throw newly-appointed skipper Hardik Pandya under the bus yet. Their most successful captain Rohit Sharma is still actively present with the side, and so is timeless talisman Sachin Tendulkar as a mentor. 

Mumbai, though armed with a constellation of cricketing stars, have carved a niche for themselves as a perennial contender for the IPL crown. Their roster, adorned with the brilliance of international stalwarts and the promise of local prodigies, radiates an aura of invincibility. However, as the curtains rise on yet another IPL spectacle, a curious pattern begins to emerge – a sequence of underwhelming performances in the initial skirmishes.