3 former MI players who failed at RCB
Mumbai Indians (MI) have reportedly finalized the trade for Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans and concurrently swapped their all-rounder Cameron Green to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), aiming to bolster their funds for the upcoming IPL player auction scheduled for December 19.
While these transactions have been confirmed by a BCCI official, the IPL and the respective franchises are yet to make an official announcement. These moves transpired after the 5 pm IST deadline for franchises to disclose the lists of players released and retained before the auction. At the time of the deadline, Hardik Pandya was still part of the Titans, and Cameron Green was included in Mumbai's list of retained players.
Here we take a look at 3 former MI players that failed at RCB:
#3 Corey Anderson
Corey Anderson was picked up by MI in the seventh season of the IPL for 45 million rupees (US$750,000). In his debut match against Kolkata Knight Riders, he managed to score only two runs before being dismissed by Sunil Narine. Anderson bowled three overs, conceding 33 runs without claiming any wickets.
The first time Anderson made an impact was his man-of-the-match performance against the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), where he picked up the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara and contributed 35 runs from 25 balls.
On May 25, 2014, facing the Rajasthan Royals, Anderson played a pivotal role in guiding the Mumbai Indians to the playoffs. He scored an unbeaten 95 off just 44 balls, enabling Mumbai to chase down the target of 190 in a mere 14.3 overs and qualify for the playoffs with an improved net run rate.
During the eighth edition of the IPL, Anderson showcased his batting prowess in the initial games, registering two half-centuries in four matches. However, he was sidelined due to a finger injury.
In February 2017, the Delhi Daredevils acquired Anderson for the 2017 Indian Premier League at a cost of INR 1 crore. He subsequently replaced fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile in the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad for the 2018 IPL season. However, he was never quite settled in RCB and had mediocre numbers – 17 runs in 3 matches, and his IPL career never quite took off post this season.
#2 Saurabh Tiwary
Saurabh Tiwary grabbed all the headlines with his remarkable performances for MI during the 2010 season. Despite being part of the franchise for the first two seasons, the Jharkhand player had limited opportunities. However, he made the 2010 season his own as he scored 419 runs in 16 matches and guided Mumbai Indians to their first IPL final.
In the 2011 auction, RCB acquired him at a substantial price. Unfortunately, Tiwary couldn't replicate his earlier success, failing to accumulate even 200 runs across the three seasons he represented the franchise. Throughout his three-year tenure, he managed only one half-century for the team.
#1 Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik, who started his IPL journey with the Delhi Daredevils, was picked up by MI in 2012. He was their designated wicketkeeper-batter and did not have a bright start to his Mumbai Indians stint. In 2012, he could score only 238 runs in 17 matches at a disappointing average of 18.30.
However, the Tamil Nadu batter bounced back in 2013 with an improved performance, accumulating 510 runs in 19 matches, including a highest score of 86. He was effective behind the stumps, claiming 12 catches and effecting 2 stumpings.
After his stint with the Delhi Daredevils in 2014, Karthik joined the RCB squad in 2015. However, the 2015 season marked the lowest point in his IPL career, as he could only manage 141 runs in the 16 matches he played for the Bangalore franchise. Notably, he failed to surpass the 30-run mark in any game throughout the season.
However, he made a name for himself as a finisher for RCB in the last two years and has been retained by the franchise ahead of the 2024 edition of the cash-rich event. Before joining RCB in 2022, Karthik represented the Gujarat Lions (2016-2017) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2018-2021).