3 potential replacements for Kieron Pollard at Mumbai Indians
Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 auction, Kieron Pollard announced that he will be retiring from the Mumbai Indians. The West Indian all-rounder had been a vital cog in the team since 2010, helping them win five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 titles.
Pollard has confirmed the end of his 13-year association with the Mumbai Indians as a player. He will still be with the franchise as a batting coach for the IPL franchise but will continue to play with the MI Emirates in the ILT20 in the UAE.
Needless to say, the Mumbai Indians will need to find a suitable replacement for the West Indian. We take a look at three potential replacements for the all-rounder.
#1 Cameron Green
Cameron Green is yet to officially confirm his participation in the IPL 2023 auction but there's plenty of buzz around the big man already. The Australian all-rounder made headlines in his debut T20I series against India earlier this year, putting in belligerent performances with the bat at the top of the order.
Add to that his versatility in the batting unit as well as the additional skillset with his medium pace, and you can see why most franchises would want him.
Green has only played 13 Big Bash League (BBL) and eight T20Is in his career so far. He has been touted as the next big thing, not only in Australian cricket but also in world cricket.
#2 Sam Curran
The England all-rounder's stock is at an all-time high after the T20 World Cup 2022. Sam Curran was the Player of the Tournament and also the Player of the Match in the final against Pakistan. Picking up13 wickets throughout the tournament, he was essential in helping England get their hands on the trophy.
In the six Vitality Blast matches he played this year, Curran scored 186 runs at a strike rate of 145. To top it off, he also bagged 10 wickets at an economy rate of 6.82.
The Surrey all-rounder will be in demand at the auction and might be on Mumbai's radar as they look to fill a void in their side.
#3 Jason Holder
Jason Holder being released by the Lucknow Super Giants came as a surprise to many. After all, he is a player who has taken 49 wickets in 39 matches at an economy rate of 8.5 Last year, he took 14 wickets in 12 matches, albeit with a slightly higher economy rate.
The experienced Barbados all-rounder has the potential to be handy with the bat too, adding a crucial element to his skillset.
With the Mumbai Indians usually operating with three fast bowlers, Holder could be the ideal fit for them in that slot. He may not be a like-for-like replacement for Kieron Pollard but Holder would certainly help them plug more than a few gaps in the squad.