Rising from the Ashes - The Mumbai Indians story

"Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it."- Michael Jordan

Five losses in the first six games and Mumbai Indians (MI) did not look anywhere close to reaching the play-off stages of IPL 2015. They were down, almost out and not many gave them a chance to get past the league stage. However, Mumbai Indians managed to script a brilliant comeback, winning nine out the ten matches to follow, to join Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as two-time IPL champions. What helped Mumbai turn things around? Who was responsible for changing their fortunes? Here are some reasons:

Arrival of Lendl Simmons and Mitchell McClenaghan

Along with Lasith Malinga and Kieron Pollard, Australia opener Aaron Finch and New Zealand allrounder Corey Anderson were the preferred overseas picks for Mumbai Indians in the first few matches. Both Finch and Anderson had to return home due to injuries and this turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the team. Along came Lendl Simmons and Mitchell McClenaghan and they churned out one match-winning contribution after another to revive their fortunes. Simmons ended up as the joint second-highest run-getter of IPL 2015 with 540 runs including six fifties. McClenaghan, who finished with 18 scalps, had a key role to play in boosting Malinga's game. The slingy pacer, who was average at the start of the tournament, enjoyed the partnership with the New Zealand quick and ended up with 24 wickets to finish as the second highest wicket-taker in IPL-8.

Harbhajan Singh back at his best

With 18 wickets at an average of 24.77 and an economy of 7.82, Harbhajan Singh's numbers in this edition of the IPL are impressive but it still does not reveal the complete picture. The veteran offspinner was back at his best and it was his contribution in the middle overs - keeping the opposition batsmen in check and providing the team timely strikes - that was one of the chief reasons for Mumbai Indians' splendid comeback. A second title win was a feather in the cap for Harbhajan, whose long wait to return to the Indian side also ended thanks to his fine showing in IPL 2015.

Kieron Pollard's crucial role in the middle order

Like Harbhajan, Kieron Pollard too had a key role to play in helping Mumbai reverse their fortunes, and like the Indian offspinner, the West Indian allrounder too had a terrific season. While his antics on the field - the tape moment in Bengaluru being one of them - might appear more prominent, Pollard's ability to change the game in a matter of overs was also a regular feature during their winning streak. He might have scored only two half-centuries in 14 innings, but the 419 runs that he accumulated, making him the third highest run-scorer for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2015, was because of his several cameos in match-winning causes. His bowling was not used much for MI, but, when he was asked to bowl the final over in a do-or-die encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders, with the opposition needing 12 off the last over, Pollard did not disappoint.

Indian talent coming to the fore

Not many knew Hardik Pandya until he took three crucial catches and hit three very important sixes against Chennai Super Kings in a league game that catapulted him to fame. Jagadeesha Suchith, a handy allrounder who plays for Karnataka, used the platform provided by IPL to showcase his skills to the world. Parthiv Patel, after plying his trade with different franchises, was finally at home with Mumbai Indians, playing a crucial role at the top of the order. While the overseas names, along with big Indian names contributed to Mumbai's glory, the likes of Pandya, Suchith and Parthiv played an equally crucial role in Mumbai's success.

A captain who never lost faith

In the games that Mumbai Indians played, Rohit Sharma did it all - be it opening the batting, coming one down or batting in the middle order. He also had his hands full as a skipper, needing to take tough decisions on the field, figuring out which players to include in the eleven, strategy for the game or assigning positions to batsmen and bowlers. When Mumbai Indians lost five of their first six matches, none would have blamed Rohit if he seemed lost for answers. However, the skipper preferred not to look back. His ability to focus on the present, take things in his stride, work towards the betterment and keep the faith in the team even if the tide was coming towards them, worked wonders for Mumbai Indians as they grew from strength to strength to script a fairy-tail finish. Rohit started with a fine knock of 98 against Kolkata Knight Riders which was in a losing cause. However, he finished things in style with a brilliant fifty in the final, leading from the front like does more often than not.

Coaching staff's belief in the team

Ricky Ponting, Shane Bond, Jonty Rhodes, Robin Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, John Wright, Kiran More, Paras Mhambrey and Rahul Sanghvi - this was MI's support staff this season, which had several big names who could still make it to any playing eleven. What it also meant was that the old proverb - Too many cooks spoil the broth - could come into the picture as the players in the Mumbai team could have been confused with inputs from several fronts. However, Ponting was not to have any of that. He was the head coach and he knew what was required for the team. In a recent interview, the former Australia captain mentioned that the focus of the coaching staff was to feed the players with just enough inputs, work on their skills, and not have too many suggestions doing rounds. Legends that they are, Tendulkar and Kumble were happy to remain in the background and provide their thoughts as and when they were sought, reckoned Ponting. Along with bowling coach Bond, fielding coach Rhodes and assistant coach Robin Singh, they worked as a well-oiled unit and took the responsibility to guide Mumbai Indians while the rest let the coaching staff do their job.