“If I am no longer to play for MI then I cannot see myself playing against MI either”. These words mark the departure of Keiron Pollard from the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) franchise Mumbai Indians. He has helped the team become ‘One Family’ and has played a major role in helping the captain, Rohit Sharma, win the trophy a record 5 times. The most beloved player of the most successful team retired but he left behind a spot that would be hard to fill in. An all-rounder, fielding some brilliant catches and also captaining the team as and when required, Keiron Pollard was rather a one-man army. Stepping into his shoes won’t be easy. But the show must go on.
Owned by the country’s biggest conglomerate, Reliance Industries, Mumbai Indians sat for the mini-auction of IPL 2023 with a purse of Rs. 20.55 crores. Cameroon Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, and 5 others joined the Paltan this year taking their strength to 24. Rohit Sharma will continue as the captain and there is no doubt whatsoever that Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav would be the hot favorites of the audiences. Jasprit Bumrah, one of the most dreaded right-arm fast bowlers in the world today, has been the backbone of MIs bowling attack ever since he joined the franchise. However, his recurring injuries are worth worrying about, not just for the franchise but also for the country. Though hopes are high that he will recover before IPL matches start, nothing is certain.
IPL is no less than an emotion for the Indians. Being glued to television screens for 4 hours straight is no longer just a habit but a tradition in various households. Nonetheless, the economic side of it can’t be ignored. IPL matches prediction and betting are two such activities which engage big businessmen and drunk vagabonds alike. Hence, IPL is not just a source of income for players and investors. Various online betting platforms have also developed in recent days. Hence, we bring to you our estimation of playing 11 of the Mumbai Indians for this season. Five-time winners were the first ones to be knocked out in 2022, but this season, many believe, they will roar again.
Let us first have a look at the whole squad of MI: Rohit Sharma (c), Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Jofra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, Duan Jansen, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Raghav Goyal.
Rohit Sharma
The captain of the team (famously, the most successful captain of IPL), Rohit Sharma is a right-handed batter. Lovingly called Hitman, supporters of MI would really be looking forward to a successful season for Rohit. He has 40 half-centuries and 1 century in his name. He has even had 15 wickets. Successful opening partnerships and standing long on the ground is what the team would want from him. His sixes are rather a delight!
Ishaan Kishan
A young left-handed batsman, Ishaan has been working amazingly for the team ever since he joined them in 2018. His wicket-keeping skills are a feather in his cap, making him almost irreplaceable. He is a prolific run-getter and a permanent in the playing 11.
Suryakumar Yadav
Famous by his acronym SKY, Suryakumar has been doing really well on the field for quite some time now. He is a right-hand batter and specializes in tackling the spin ball well. He is the backbone of the middle order. Surprisingly, he might bowl as a right-arm medium pacer when needed. His performance in the T20 series against Sri Lanka was absolutely phenomenal and MI would really pray that SKY continues his form. He has a formidable strike rate of 136.78 and has scored 16 half-centuries for MI. All eyes this season would be on his century.
Tilak Varma
Being a lefty, Tilak helps maintain the left-right combination for MI even in the middle order. He impressed many with his batting last season. He strikes amazingly during death overs.
Tim David
He is a right-handed batter and a right-arm off-break bowler. He is a good allrounder and adds balance to both departments.
Cameroon Green
Paltan bought Green for a whopping price of Rs. 17.5 crores. Hence, they surely won’t keep him on the bench. Brought to the team as a replacement for Pollard, Green ticks off quite some checkboxes with his capabilities. He is a young blood, just 23 years old, and has a long career ahead of him. His age would complement Mumbai’s experience pretty well. He is a three-dimensional cricketer. He can hit big and in various positions. He can serve as an opener or strengthen the middle order. He is also a good fielder. Though he might not be reliable enough to be having a four-over spell, he opens up options for the team as he can bowl, especially during the powerplay.
Jasprit Bumrah
The right-arm fast bowler has been undetachable from the team ever since he joined them in 2018. His skills are no secret to the world. He adds strength to bowling both in the powerplay and death overs. He is successful in getting wickets and has been a constant in the purple cap race over the seasons. Provided he recovers from his injuries, Bumrah will surely be the part of most of the matches of MI.
Jofra Archer
A fast bowler who can even bat when added, Archer could not play the previous season due to his medical issues. However, this season, he will be a great support to the team.
Hritikh Shokeen
He is a right arm off break bowler and MI might allow him more appearances this season.
Jason Behrendorff and Kumar Kartikeya are the other two bowlers who MI management will be giving chances this season. Jason has played 5 matches so far and with an economy of 8.86, grabbed 5 wickets. Kumar is a slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
These are our predicted playing 11 for MI who will face Delhi Capitals on 26 March this season. We hope you will make an informed choice while making online bets. Be wise and when stats don’t work, listen to your heart.
