IPL 2021: 5 overseas stars who played only 1 season for MI
Five-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians (MI) have signed some of the biggest names in world cricket over the last 13 years.
MI are one of the few franchises to have been a part of the IPL every season so far. They started their journey in 2008, with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Robin Uthappa, DJ Bravo and Harbhajan Singh in the squad.
Over the years, players like Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Ambati Rayudu, Lendl Simmons, Mitchell McClenaghan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mitchell Johnson and several others have had long stints with MI.
Some well-known foreign stars played only a solitary season for MI
On the other hand, there have also been some popular overseas cricketers who could represent the Mumbai Indians in only one edition of the IPL. In this listicle, we will take a look at such five players.
#1 Ricky Ponting
Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting received a contract from the Mumbai Indians at IPL Auction 2013. The right-handed batsman was soon named the captain of the team.
However, Ponting could not perform at his best while playing for the Mumbai Indians. After failing to impress with the bat in the first six matches, Ponting dropped himself from the MI playing XI and handed over the captaincy to Rohit Sharma. MI did not retain him in their IPL 2014 squad.
#2 Aaron Finch
Another Australian team skipper to feature on this list is Aaron Finch. The right-handed batsman joined the Mumbai Indians in 2015 and played three matches for the franchise. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury while playing for MI in a match against Rajasthan Royals.
Finch did not play again for the Mumbai Indians after that injury. In 2016, the Aussie batsman became a member of the Gujarat Lions squad.
#3 Shaun Pollock
When Sachin Tendulkar was unavailable for a few matches in IPL 2008, Shaun Pollock led the Mumbai Indians team. The South African all-rounder had a decent record as the captain. MI won three of the four games they played under his leadership.
Pollock played 13 matches for MI in IPL 2008, scoring 147 runs and picking up 11 wickets. The South African star did not play another match in the IPL after the inaugural season.
#4 Herschelle Gibbs
Herschelle Gibbs is the second South African player to feature on this list. The right-handed batsman played for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2012. Gibbs shone on his MI debut with a match-winning half-century for the team.
He played a couple more matches for the team that season but could only score 15 more runs. Gibbs' strike rate was 92.04 in those three matches. Thus, the Mumbai Indians decided against including him in the playing XI for future games.
#5 Krishmar Santokie
Caribbean left-arm pacer Krishmar Santokie made his IPL debut for the Mumbai Indians in 2014. He played two matches for the Mumbai-based franchise, scalping three wickets.
While Santokie managed to take wickets for the team, his economy rate was more than 11 runs per over. As a result, the West Indian star did not get more chances to play for Mumbai Indians.