IPL 2019: 3 spinners for Mumbai Indians to target at the Auction
The Mumbai Indians finished in the fifth place last season and failed to make it to the playoffs. Their young squad had performed well but a few crucial moments should've been handled better by the team. Their choices in the auction raised a few eyebrows, especially their inexperienced and weak spin bowling lineup on paper.
Mayank Markande lit the league on fire in the first match against the Chennai Super Kings with impressive figures off 3 for 23 in 4 overs. He finished with 15 wickets at the end of the tournament as his form had fizzled towards the latter stages of the tournament as the batsmen were able to pick his deliveries.
Ahead of the 2019 season, they have released the following players.
Released players: Saurabh Tiwary, Pradeep Sangwan, Mohsin Khan, MD Nidheesh, Sharad Lumba, Tajinder Singh Dhillon, JP Duminy, Pat Cummins, Mustafizur Rahman, Akila Dananjaya.
Mumbai have retained the following players.
Retained players: Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Krunal Pandya, Ishan Kishan (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Mayank Markande, Rahul Chahar, Anukul Roy, Siddhesh Lad, Aditya Tare, Kieron Pollard, Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Jason Behrendorff.
Here are three spinners who the Mumbai Indians might target at the auction.
#3 Qais Ahmad
Like Rashid Khan and Mujeeb, Qais Ahmad is one of the most promising spinners in the current Afghanistan setup. The leg-spinner had humble beginnings before he rose to fame with his performance for the Balkh Legends in the Afghanistan Premier League.
The 18 year-old was also the joint highest wicket taker in the 2018 U-19 World Cup along with India's Anukul Roy. Qais is slated to be in contention for national selection. He has picked up 19 wickets in 15 matches at a good economy rate of 6.97 and an excellent average of 16.89.
Mumbai Indians have had the habit of signing young players and molding them in to a complete package. Their great coaching staff, experienced campaigners and loyal fans can make any player feel at home. He has the potential to become the next Mujeeb or Rashid and can create ripples this season if picked.