3 overseas players Mumbai Indians could target in IPL 2023 auction
The five-time IPL champions had a disastrous IPL 2022. Mumbai Indians secured victories in just four out of 14 games and finished bottom of the points table.
The franchise has already taken steps to put back the bad season and released a few players going into the IPL 2023 auction.
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Overseas players are an integral part of the Mumbai Indians lineup and have retained the likes of Jofra Archer, Tim David, Tristan Stubbs, and Dewald Brevis for the upcoming IPL season. Jason Behrendoff has been traded from Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Kieron Pollard, Daniel Sams, Fabien Allen, and Tymal Mills have been released by the franchise.
On that note, here is a look at three overseas players that Mumbai Indians could acquire in the IPL 2023 auction to strengthen their squad:
#1 Jason Holder
The West Indian all-rounder Jason Holder was acquired by the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2022 auction. He had a decent season, having picked up 14 wickets in 12 games at an average of 27.93. He did not get many chances to prove his worth with the bat and scored just 58 runs in 8 innings and was released before the IPL 2023 season.
Holder is a handy all-rounder. He is a wicket-taking option and could be the perfect player to complement Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer with the ball. Holder has an impressive record with the ball in the IPL.
In 38 matches across 6 seasons, the West Indian has picked up 49 wickets at an average of 24.02 and an economy rate of 8.57. He is a useful player with the bat in the lower middle-order and holds a strike rate of 123.50 in 24 IPL innings.
He is a three-dimensional player and can change the course of a game in an over or two. Mumbai Indians could look to acquire Holder for his all-around skills. The team missed having bowling all-rounders in IPL 2022 and Holder perfectly fits the bill.
#2 Adam Zampa
Mumbai Indians badly missed an experienced spinner in IPL 2022. The likes of Mayank Markande, Murugan Ashwin, and Kumar Kartikeya could not create much of an impact with the ball.
Mumbai Indians need an experienced overseas spinner who can control the game in the middle overs. Adam Zampa could be an option for Mumbai Indians the in the IPL 2023 auction.
Zampa is an intelligent bowler in the T20 format. He has an exceptional record in T20Is. In 71 T20Is, the leggie has bagged 82 wickets at an average of 21.72 and an exceptional economy rate of 6.93. He has been a match-winner for Australia in the shortest format in the past few years.
Zampa has played a handful of games in the IPL and has tasted success with the ball. In 14 IPL matches, Zampa has picked up 21 wickets at an average of 17.62. He is an attacking option for breakthroughs, especially in the middle overs.
He last played an IPL match in November 2020 and has registered his name in the IPL 2023 auction. Zampa could provide much-needed experience in the spin department for Mumbai Indians.
#3 Sam Curran
Kieron Pollard and Daniel Sams will not be a part of the Mumbai Indians outfit for the upcoming IPL season. The franchise will look to have an all-around option that could provide balance to the team.
Sam Curran could be on the radar for many teams in the IPL auction 2023. Mumbai Indians too could look to acquire the English all-rounder.
Curran had an exceptional T20 World Cup 2022 and was named player of the tournament. He picked up 13 wickets in six matches at an average of 11.38 and an economy rate of 6.53. He hardly got an opportunity to bat in the tournament.
Curran has a decent record in IPL. He has a strike rate of 149.78 with the bat in 23 IPL innings. He has also picked up 32 IPL wickets in as many matches.
Curran's inclusion could strengthen the Mumbai Indians squad that already has experienced campaigners like Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer.