Netflix series review: Cricket Fever

With the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019 around the corner, Netflix releases an original, Cricket Fever: Mumbai Indians. Let us admit that IPL 2019 has been shadowed by the cricket World Cup 2019 and to some extend the Loksabha general elections, and a Netflix original at this time is a masterstroke. This particular season of the series focuses on the journey of one of the favourites in the tournament, Mumbai Indians (MI).

Being an original, the show already carries a reputation and makes sure that it lives by it on many aspects. Bollywood and cricket are the most loved entertainments in India and when you combine it together, it is a definite hit. However, with the season MI had last year, everyone knew the end at the start of the web series. But this is what has differentiated the Bollywood from cricket. The not-so-perfect ending.

It goes without saying that the crew has worked extremely hard to get the perfect coverage and jot it down while editing. This series makes one re-live the 2018 MI season and brings in hope with the end. Proper coverage, intellectual questions and immaculate editing has created a cracking series.

Insights-out 

What the series has done best is getting hands on the insights of a franchise in the world’s most expensive cricketing league. It has got the fans closer to the players and franchise. The practice sessions, owners interview, net session discussion, dressing room meetings, you name it and it has been covered.

There were times when Nita Ambani had to remind her son Akash Ambani of the camera which is rolling. It also shows the personal involvement of the owners with the team management and players. For example, the treasure hunt at Antilia organised for team building activity.

Engine and the coaches 

There were no surprises that the first season of the series was starring the MI, as they have been among the most loved franchise from the start. Not to miss out on the owners here, the Ambanis. They are one of the star business families in India and the driving force behind MI. When someone invests crores of money on a franchise, it is not unusual to have expectations. Mahela Jayawardane, MI’s head coach, is shown doing excellent work to be the middle man between the management and players. Like him, there were other coaches also who played their role in the same.

Blue of the Oasis

As we all know, the team did not perform to the fullest in the league stage which caused them a place in the play-offs. It won’t be wrong to say that MI’s blue wasn’t one of the sea but of an oasis.

Talking about the web series, it starts slow and detailed in the start but rushes a bit towards the end. However, it does not miss out on covering the minor aspects, but there were some which went unrecorded.

One of it was the change of Rohit Sharma’s batting position in the league. Rohit, a permanent opener for India in limited overs changed his spot for the team, which is a big deal. Neither the coaching staff, nor the players talked about it, or rather were asked. Rohit’s average in the series dropped down to 23.83 (32.38 is his T20I average), which is less for a player of his standard.

Kieron Pollard was righteously acknowledged and given the importance of being the most-experienced played in the squad and the web series, but they missed out on the most-experienced member in the franchise, Lasith Malinga. Malinga being unsold in the players auction was roped in by the franchise as bowling mentor. The web series does not show him in the limelight as he should have been, especially when things were falling apart for MI. With no Harbhajan Singh on their side, there is no one who knows MI better than Malinga.

Nonetheless, the series ticks most of the boxes required. It extensively covers almost everything in and out of the franchise and makes you believe in it again. As Nita Ambani says in the last episode, “The team represents the spirit of the city,” the web series has done it all to represent the team.

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