Back in June when the pandemic was at its peak in Mumbai and its surroundings, when most franchises had not even thought of chalking out their programme, let alone practice, Mumbai Indians had put their plans in place should the 13th edition of the IPL happen sometime during the year.

The T20 World Cup hadn’t been postponed then and there was no clarity on whether the money-spinning league would at all take shape.

The Mumbai Indians, however, went ahead with the process of creating their own bio-security bubble by earmarking a hotel in Navi Mumbai, close to the Jio Cricket Stadium, which has indoor training facilities. The idea was to work on the players’ fitness.

By the end of the month, the domestic players and support staff had started arriving, having gone through the mandatory quarantine period.

Even though star players such as Jasprit Bumrah and the Pandya brothers joined the facility once the confirmation for the IPL in the UAE came through, the others slogged it out to keep themselves match fit after months of inactivity.

By the time the squad departed for Abu Dhabi in the third week of August, most of the players were in prime shape. While most other players struggled in the initial stages, Mumbai Indians had no such trouble given their extensive preparations.

No wonder then that the Rohit Sharma-led side clinched their fifth IPL crown and for the first time defended their title with success. They ended the tournament with just three losses in regulation time without losing a single game outright when chasing.

Their domination in the game’s shortest format and the ruthless fashion in which they went about their task of knocking out their opponents reminded one of Clive Lloyd’s West Indies’ supremacy in the Seventies and early Eighties or Steve Waugh’s Australians.

Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar puts it down to the “balance” within the side that has contributed to their invincible nature.

“An ideal team is one which is well balanced with good bench strength. Mumbai Indians fit that logic well. You can rotate the players but the composition isn’t hampered,” Vengsarkar told The Telegraph on Wednesday.

“The presence of quality all-rounders like the Pandya brothers and Kieron Pollard always make a difference in this format. Then there is Trent Boult and Bumrah who can always provide vital breakthroughs. When you bat deep and possess such match-winners, it’s always tough for the opponents.”

It’s not just about planning and execution on the field that has brought about success but also a lot of research work that goes on behind the scenes right through the year. It involves identifying talent and nurturing them at their own training grounds.

Former India coach John Wright, who spends a lot of time round the year in Mumbai, is part of their talent scouting and development wing, which also includes Praveen Amre. Of late, the addition of former India stars Zaheer Khan and Robin Singh has also made the talent spotting task easier.

When Bumrah or the Pandya brothers were picked, none had heard about them. It was because of Mumbai Indians’ persistence for nurturing talent and sticking to their strengths that they are now reaping the benefits.

Take the case of Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav or Rahul Chahar. The franchise’s faith in their execution of skills resulted in their free-flowing batting and disciplined bowling.

“The freedom to show your skills is important. It’s up to the players to grab the opportunity and improve. No wonder Ishan was intent on raising the bar once the opportunities came along,” Vengsarkar remarked.

Rohit’s “inspirational captaincy” has also played its part. “The way he handles himself and the players is simply brilliant. He backs his players and gives the youngsters confidence,” Vengsarkar added.

The management has also contributed to team bonding by looking after the players in the best possible manner. The franchise was among the first to allow families to accompany the players during the nearly three-month sojourn.

To ensure the well-being of the players and support staff inside the bio-bubble they delegated specialised persons to the UAE long before the team’s arrival.

Besides setting up their own kitchen inside the St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi, the franchise also travelled with a barber and tailor to make the players feel at home.

The “one-family” motto has yielded rich dividends for a team packed with cricketing riches.