IPL 2019 Auction: Why Shimron Hetmyer could be picked up by Mumbai Indians
Shimron Hetmyer has been the T20 find of this year. He was excellent with the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the recently concluded Carribean Premier League (CPL) and he carried on his form to the series against India. He played well on the Indian pitches and took on the strong Indian bowling line-up with ease.
Hetmyer is also a proven leader as he was the captain of the U-19 West Indies team which won the World Cup in 2016. He was good in the knockout games of the same tournament which also proves his composure under pressure.
Hence, Hetmyer will be one of the players who could trigger a bidding war at the auctions to be held later this year.
Mumbai Indians are one of the most successful franchises in the Indian Premier League. They are an entertaining team too and have contributed to the Indian team with a number of talented players. As a brand too, Mumbai Indians is one of the teams at the top of the list and sometimes many of their decisions in the auction table are spurred by this.
Hence, they have always been the team which would go for a player who has a lot of hype around him courtesy his performances at the international level. While it definitely helps them on a commercial front, the players have also been good on the field. Over the seasons, we have seen players like Kieron Pollard, Richard Levi, Corey Anderson, and Evin Lewis who were all touted to attract a lot of bids.
This season, Shimron Hetmyer falls into that bracket. He is just 21 years of age and will be a good investment for the future. Being a left-hander, his presence during the middle-overs would always be beneficial. In fact, Mumbai Indians have a vacancy in the squad for that position as they have released JP Duminy recently.
Kieron Pollard has been inconsistent in recent times and hence, the middle-order of the Rohit Sharma led side needs some talented players. Shimron Hetmyer is one of the best available options in the market and considering the hype around the youngster, Mumbai Indians may go all out for him.
However, teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders may pose a strict challenge to Mumbai Indians for the player and an only a well thought out auction strategy could help Mumbai Indians secure the services of the player. It could also be a trophy-winning decision as Hetmyer's success could unlock Rohit Sharma at the top which will help Mumbai Indians win the title.