3 former MI players who would have been the perfect fit for them in IPL 2023
Five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians (MI) had a season to forget in 2022, as they finished rock-bottom with just four wins in 14 games. They also registered an unwanted record of becoming the only IPL team to lose their first eight games on the bounce.
The team and their fans haven't seen such a downfall in almost a decade as they have consistently won silverware or at least made it to the playoffs. However, it is always tough to keep hold of your champion players in a mega auction and Mumbai had to build from scratch.
Although there are some young stars coupled with experienced players in the current MI squad, here are three former players they could have benefited from given the loopholes in their IPL 2023 squad:
#3 Mohsin Khan
Have to give it for Mohsin Khan. He spent so many years in Mumbai Indians without playing a single game. Now stepping up with the ball in every game for Lucknow. #IPL2022
Uttar Pradesh pacer Mohsin Khan was snapped up by the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2018 auction and was groomed under some world-class former fast bowlers like Shane Bond and Zaheer Khan.
However, in his four seasons with the club, Mohsin failed to get a game. He was picked up for base price in the mega auction last year by the Lucknow Supergiants and that proved to be a masterstroke.
Mohsin picked up 14 wickets in just nine games in IPL 2022 at a fantastic economy rate of 5.96. He was quick and also showcased the ability to bowl across different phases.
Mumbai's current squad doesn't have enough quality Indian pace options, which may force them to play two overseas quicks alongside Jasprit Bumrah. Had they kept hold of Mohsin, he could have formed a fantastic partnership with Bumrah and also could have given MI the option to add an extra overseas batter.
#2 Rahul Chahar
Rahul Chahar in 2019 IPL
4-0-14-2 in Qualifier 1
4-0-14-1 in Final
He is ONLY Indian to bowl with Economy below 4 In Consecutive matches of an IPL Playoffs (While bowling all 4 overs)
Also ONLY MI bowler to bowl 100+ overs Without bowling a Single No ball
HBD @rdchahar1 π https://t.co/kXll1mTEJH
Spin continues to be a worrying department for Mumbai Indians just like last season. The five-time champions have unearthed some talented options like Hrithik Shokeen and Kumar Kartikeya, but they only have Piyush Chawla when it comes to the wrist-spin department.
Quite a few eyebrows were raised when MI didn't go hard for Rahul Chahar in the mega auction. He was one of Rohit Sharma's main weapons whenever he needed a wicket and was a vital component of their title-winning campaigns in 2019 and 2020.
Mumbai may still have some trump cards up their sleeves with a couple of uncapped gems. However, it is safe to say that they probably haven't been able to replace Rahul Chahar's quality.
#1 Hardik Pandya
A Year back
Me: Hardik Pandya is an invaluable asset to this Mumbai Indians side.He provides great balance to this team.
My friend: We don't need Hardik Pandya to win the trophy. I hope MI don't buy him back.
Meanwhile in #IPL2022
Hardik Pandya MI https://t.co/GxW9BOjB4C
Arguably one of the biggest losses for MI has been Hardik Pandya, a player who they nurtured into an absolute beast. Hardik won four titles with Mumbai, and most importantly, became the seam-bowling all-rounder that any IPL team would have craved.
He was not just an explosive middle-order batter for the Mumbai Indians, but also a pacer with an uncanny ability to break partnerships. With other stars like Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Kieron Pollard in the mix, Mumbai made the tough decision of not retaining Hardik.
They did try Daniel Sams and Ramandeep Singh in that role last year and have invested heavily in Cameron Green ahead of the IPL 2023 season. However, the absence of Hardik Pandya is still visible in the current squad.