3 Kieron Pollard records Cameron Green can break in the IPL
Kieron Pollard is a name synonymous with the Mumbai Indians (MI). The West Indian all-rounder is a legend for the franchise and helped the side win five Indian Premier League (IPL) titles and two CLT20 Championships during his 13-year stint with the franchise.
Affectionately referred to as "Polly", he signed for MI in 2010 and became a crucial part of the team. He also led the Mumbai Indians on a few occasions and went down as one of the best overseas players in the history of the IPL.
Pollard is now a mentor with the Mumbai Indians, helping their players with his wealth of experience. At the IPL 2023 auction, the franchise signed Cameron Green, with the Australian all-rounder being identified as Pollard's long-term successor.
If the 23-year-old Aussie does manage to replicate what Pollard did in his playing days, then he could well go down as a legend as well. To do that, he'll have to break some records along the way, of course.
Let's take a look at three of Pollard's records Cameron Green can break.
#1 Score more runs than Pollard for MI
The West Indian legend is second in terms of most runs scored for the Mumbai Indians, scoring 3412 runs at an average of 28 and a strike rate of 147. Pollard represented the franchise for 13 seasons, amassing 16 half-centuries in his time.
He also became the first player to hit 200 sixes in the IPL, ending with 223 sixes to his name. He is the only Mumbai Indians player to hit 200 or more sixes.
Current captain Rohit Sharma has hit 199 sixes and is likely to cross the 200 mark in IPL 2023.
#2 Scoring a faster half-century than Pollard
Green made his mark in the T20I series against Australia not too long ago. Having opened the batting in the series, he showed his brut force and destructive batting prowess, which eventually landed him a deal with the five-time IPL champions.
He scored a 19-ball fifty in the third T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, making it the third-fastest half-century for Australia in T20Is.
Ishan Kishan currently holds the record for scoring the fastest fifty for MI, getting there in 16 balls. Pollard is second on that list, having scored a 17-ball fifty against the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2016.
#3 Most appearances for MI
It's only early days in his IPL career and there's a long way to go for Green. The franchise paid a whopping ₹17.5 crore to acquire his services at the 2023 auction, with the intention of keeping him as one of their assets for years to come. The Mumbai Indians also have a history of showing plenty of faith and retaining their players.
With the likes of Pollard, Lasith Malinga, and Sachin Tendulkar, MI make sure they have long-standing associations with their players.
Still only 23, the Australian all-rounder could well be one of those players. If Green does go on to play 13 seasons or more as Pollard did, he could well break the West Indian legend's record for the most appearances for MI (189).