Mumbai Indians (MI) are the most successful team of Indian Premier League (IPL) and are the current defending champions of the tournament. MI heavily relies on teamwork rather than sole performances. Rohit Sharma-led MI will be going up against MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the first match of IPL. There will be a lot of milestones up for the taking as IPL kicks off on April 7.
MI’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has a golden chance of making it memorable by surpassing former Indian cricketer and batting legend Sachin Tendulkar. Hardik has struck 28 sixes from 37 games and just two sixes away from surpassing Tendulkar’s tally of 29 sixes in 78 games.
Given his six-hitting skills, Hardik is capable of doing it in the first match of the season only. With this, he will take the 7th place in the list of batsmen with most sixes for MI led by Kieron Pollard with 147 sixes from 123 games.
MI captain Rohit Sharma also has a chance of equalling Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli’s tally of 34 50-plus scores in the league so far. Rohit is currently placed fourth in the list of most 50-plus scores in IPL and with one more he will take the joint-third position. However, there can be a shuffle in the list throughout the tournament. Here’s how the list looks ahead of the first clash –
David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 39
Gautam Gambhir (Delhi Daredevils) – 35
Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) – 34
Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) 33
Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) 32
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Rohit can surpass AB de Villiers as well if he gets hold of a few catches against CSK. He needs just 2 catches to take over De Villiers’ tally. Pollard is also in the race as he also has the chance to surpass his captain and Suresh Raina given the fact that he is best known for pulling off spectacular catches out of nowhere.
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Here’s how the list of most catches (for a fielder, not as a wicketkeeper) by a player in IPL looks –
Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) – 86 catches
AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) – 72 catches
Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) – 71 catches
Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians) – 70 catches
Dwayne Bravo (Chennai Super Kings) – 60 catches
Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) – 60 catches
