3 Kieron Pollard records that Tim David can break at Mumbai Indians
The Mumbai Indians (MI) have had an inconsistent season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) thus far, winning only four of their eight games.
In their most recent outing, MI recorded a thrilling six-wicket victory against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on the back of a sublime batting display by Tim David. The Australian finished with 45 from 14 deliveries, leading MI to a last-over win in their chase of 213 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, April 30.
MI is the most successful IPL franchise, winning five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 titles. Over the years, MI has boasted some of the biggest names, including Sachin Tendulkar, skipper Rohit Sharma, and Lasith Malinga. However, the player who has been an integral part of all their titles is West Indian all-rounder Kieron Pollard.
Pollard was purchased by the Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2010 season thanks to his brilliant performances for Trinidad and Tobago in the 2009 Champions League. He represented MI for 13 years till 2022 before announcing his retirement after a disappointing display last season. Pollard was subsequently appointed as the batting coach of MI this season.
Renowned for his destructive finishing skills with the bat, useful medium-pace bowling, and incredible outfield catching, Pollard scored 3,412 runs at an average of 28.47 and a strike rate of 147.32 in his illustrious IPL career.
However, with his batting form waning due to age and other factors, MI found an able replacement in Australian big-hitter Tim David ahead of last season, purchasing the 27-year-old for ₹ 8.25 crores.
David has been one of the most destructive finishers in the Big Bash League (BBL) for the Hobart Hurricanes over the past three seasons. He is seen as the successor to Pollard in the lower middle-order finishing role for MI.
With his impressive power hitting in the latter stages of the innings, David has been one of the most sought-after names over the last couple of years in various T20 leagues.
David made his IPL debut for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2021 season but played just one game before moving to the Mumbai Indians for the 2022 season. Overall, he has averaged 34.50 at a strike rate of 189.56 in his brief IPL career.
Considering the numerous similarities between Tim David and Kieron Pollard, let’s look at three Kieron Pollard records that Tim David could eventually overhaul for the Mumbai Indians.
#1 Most sixes by a Mumbai Indians batsman
Kieron Pollard has hit more sixes than any other MI batter in his IPL career, thanks to his incredible power and reach for the ball. His 223 sixes in 189 matches are the most by any Mumbai Indians batter and sixth all-time in IPL history.
Tim David is an effortless six-hitter with incredible raw power, much like Kieron Pollard. He has already hit 28 sixes in his 17-match IPL career and 220 sixes in his overall T20 career.
The 27-year-old packs a punch much like the West Indian. It would not be far-fetched to see David overtaking Pollard in the total number of sixes when it is all said and done.
#2 Having a higher strike rate for the Mumbai Indians than Kieron Pollard
One of the reasons behind Kieron Pollard's success in the IPL is his incredible strike rate. He has provided the finishing kick for the Mumbai Indians on numerous occasions.
Pollard's career strike rate of 147.32 ranks in the top 15 all-time in IPL history and is second only to Hardik Pandya's strike rate of 153.91 in his MI tenure. Tim David already boasts an incredible strike rate of almost 190 in his IPL career and has an overall T20 strike rate of 163 in 168 matches.
At this pace, David could overtake Pollard in this department and finish with a higher career strike rate in the IPL.
#3 Most runs by an overseas player for the Mumbai Indians
MI have had several great overseas batters in their storied IPL history, including Quinton de Kock, Lendl Simmons, Sanath Jayasuriya, and JP Duminy.
However, none have been as successful as Kieron Pollard, who has scored 3,412 runs for the Mumbai Indians, the most by an overseas player and the second most overall behind Rohit Sharma.
Tim David has an incredible average of 34.50 thus far in the IPL despite batting predominantly at No. 6 for the Mumbai Indians. He could become Mumbai's all-time leading overseas run-scorer, overtaking Kieron Pollard thanks to his ability to score consistently at a high strike rate.