Top 3 Players Mumbai Indians (MI) should target in the IPL 2023 auction: Five-time IPL champions, Mumbai Indians had a disappointing outing in the first phase of the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The franchise went on to lose every match it played in phase one. Mumbai’s solitary victory came against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ninth fixture and the franchise is already out of the playoffs contention.
As their playoff hopes are already shattered, the franchise is playing with a single agenda which is to set up a strong core for the next IPL season. A few experts reckon Mumbai’s declining performance in the IPL 2022 is because of their ailing auction strategy ahead of the IPL 2022.
However, the franchise can learn from its mistakes and revive its lost identity by performing well in the IPL 2023. Notably, Mumbai’s weakest link in the IPL 2022 is their lower-middle order and bowling.
Time and again in the ongoing season, Mumbai has felt the need for a firing all-rounder down the order who can just come and play overwhelming shots. Though the experience of Kieron Pollard is there for Mumbai, it hasn’t done any good for the team this season. Pollard has failed to produce havoc with his bat and has often walked back without scoring the required runs this season. Moreover, Mumbai’s bowling unit doesn’t carry any strength in the IPL 2022.
In this very article, we will take a look at the top 3 players Mumbai Indians (MI) should target in the IPL 2023 auction.
Top 3 Players Mumbai Indians (MI) should target in the IPL 2023 auction:
Sam Curran:
After offloading all-rounder Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya from the team ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auctions, Mumbai failed to acquire an experienced player of the calibre of the two aforementioned. Though Kieron Pollard was retained by the five times IPL champions, however, his form is a serious concern as runs have dried up from his bat.
Many experts reckon that Mumbai may not retain the services of Kieron Pollard going ahead in the IPL 2023, especially after his stats in the IPL 2022.
Sam Curran, the England all-rounder, becomes Mumbai’s automatic choice to go after. Curran has played for CSK in the past and is one of the highest-rated all-rounders in the international arena.
The Englishmen can prove to be a quality addition to MI’s blue and gold jersey. He can prolong Mumbai’s batting unit with his magnificent shot play and can also bolster the bowling lineup.
He has a proven track record during his earlier stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He can be extremely lethal for the opposition when given the opportunity to exploit the early swinging conditions in the IPL.
Though getting him on board won’t be a cakewalk for Rohit Sharma and his management, his name will certainly be on the cards for Mumbai stepping ahead.
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Adam Zampa:
Mumbai Indians’ association with a quality spinner seems like a distant dream as once again the management failed to acquire a match-turning tweaker during the IPL 2022 mega auctions. Rahul Chahar was set free ahead of the auction, along with Krunal Pandya and it was expected that Mumbai may go after either Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav or R Ashwin to cover up their spin department, however, it never happened.
MI bought the likes of Murugan Ashwin and Mayank Markandey to strengthen their spin department during the recent auctions. Ashwin has played a few games and has done reasonably well, but he hasn’t turned the fate of the matches just like Yuzvendra Chahal, Chahar and Kuldeep Yadav are doing for their respective sides.
Australian spinner Adam Zampa can certainly cure Mumbai’s spin illness in the IPL 2023. Targetting him would be the right choice, as he won’t create a large hole in Mumbai’s pocket. Mumbai can even bag him at his base price.
Zampa is Australia’s first-choice spinner in the limited-overs format. He has done extremely well for the Australian national side. The Aussie spinner has played for RCB in the past and has scalped 21 wickets in his 14 outings at a decent economy of 7.73.
Adil Rashid:
To tackle Mumbai’s spin woes, English spinner Adil Rashid can be another choice for the Mumbai Indians. Rashid has been one of the strongest spinners going around for England’s limited-overs side in the international arena.
The England tweaker has only played a solitary game in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year where he conceded 35 runs and went wicketless for Punjab Kings. He was subsequently dropped from the team following that game. Notably, Adil Rashid went unsold during the recent auctions.
In the T20Is for England, Rashid has scalped 81 wickets in 70 innings at a decent economy of 7.26. The spinner has two four-wicket hauls against his name as well.
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