3 reasons why Sam Curran is a perfect fit for Mumbai Indians
Sam Curran will be one of the players to watch out for at the upcoming IPL 2023 Auction. Many fans expect an intense bidding war for the England all-rounder at the mini auction. One of the reasons behind it is that Curran recently won the Man of the Tournament award at the ICC T20 World Cup 2022.
Curran is a left-arm fast-bowling all-rounder. He is one of the few players who can bat as an opener and also as a power-hitter in the middle-order. The England all-rounder has represented the Punjab Kings and the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL before.
Speaking of his record in the IPL, Sam Curran has played 32 matches so far, scoring 337 runs at a strike rate of close to 150. He has registered two half-centuries in the league. In the bowling department, Sam has scalped 32 wickets, with his best figures being 4/11. He has also taken a hat-trick in the IPL.
Considering his excellent stats and top form in recent matches, a lot of teams will chase him at the IPL 2023 Auction. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will be among those franchises, and here are three reasons why Curran will be a perfect fit for MI.
#1 Replacement for Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League earlier this year. The Caribbean all-rounder will now work as the batting coach of the Mumbai Indians team. Pollard was the MVP of the MI franchise in the last decade.
He could turn the matches upside down with his fantastic batting, wicket-taking skills and excellent fielding. It will be tough for the Mumbai Indians to sign a replacement for Kieron Pollard, considering that there are very few players who can make an impact like him in all three departments, but Sam Curran can be considered a close substitute.
Curran can smash the ball out of the park. He can also bowl four overs of pace, which makes him a good choice to replace Pollard.
#2 Long-term asset for Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians are undergoing a transition right now. They formed a fresh squad featuring some young players like Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs last season. MI will look to add more one young player to heir squad in the form of Sam Curran.
The England all-rounder is just 24 years old and can play at the top level for at least 10 to 12 years more. MI love to form long-term associations with their players, and Curran could be the next name on that list.
#3 Sam Curran has a great record at Wankhede Stadium
Sam Curran has played six IPL matches at Mumbai's home venue - Wankhede Stadium. In those six games, he scalped six wickets at a strike rate of 21. He got a chance to bat in four of the six matches, where he scored 60 runs at a strike rate of 214.29.
Looking at his phenomenal record at Wankhede Stadium, MI may go the extra mile to sign Sam Curran at the IPL 2023 Auction.