Two Hyderabad players set to attend Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians have been in news for the last few days. The Mumbai based franchise has already completed an all-money trade deal with Royal Challengers Bangalore. As a result of the trade, they acquired the services of South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock for ₹ 2.8 crores. To accommodate his inclusion in the side, they have dropped Bangladeshi fast bowler, Mustafizur Rahman and Sri Lankan spinner Akila Dhananjaya from their squad.
In addition to that, there have been reports in Mumbai Mirror that Mumbai Indians are looking to acquire the services of Shikhar Dhawan from Sunrisers Hyderabad. It is understood that Dhawan is not happy in Sunrisers Hyderabad and has expressed his desire to leave. It will be interesting to see whether Mumbai can acquire the services of the Indian opener.
Also read: 3 reasons why Quinton de Kock's move from Bangalore to Mumbai is best for both the teams
The 26-year-old says Ambati Rayudu has been a calming influence
On the other hand, Mumbai Indians are also looking to add new domestic talent. One such player that grabbed the attention of MI with his performances in the domestic arena is Bavanaka Sandeep of Hyderabad. Sandeep averages close to 50 in first-class cricket and might be rewarded by Mumbai Indians for his consistent performances.
Before leaving for his trial, Sandeep spoke to his heart out to The Hindu about how his game has been influenced by Ambati Rayudu. “Now, I am a lot more of a complete player, in a position to play all the strokes with greater freedom and consistency,” Sandeep told The Hindu on Sunday before leaving for Mumbai.
“Rayudu bhai has been a sobering influence on me giving invaluable tips. I hope to continue the momentum going with some big scores in the coming season too having done well in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy,” he added.
Sandeep also spoke about not getting the right opportunities till now. “Frankly, I won’t say I was disappointed when not selected for major events whenever I actually thought I would be there because of my scores. For, if you start thinking on those lines, you will lose your focus.”
“I believe in the philosophy that if you keep scoring consistently, you will get the big break one day and importantly you should be ready for that big moment. And, so I try to be consistent and wait for that to happen,” he said.
Sandeep made his Ranji debut for Hyderabad way back in 2010 with a century against Jharkhand but never got the right opportunities to showcase his talent. Being called for Mumbai Indians for the selection trials will definitely boost his confidence and he would want to make the most of the opportunity.
The stylish southpaw signed with an optimistic message a day before the trials. “Every cricketer loves to be there and I hope this time around I may get a chance. Let’s us see how things shape up.”
He and his Ranji teammate Chama Milind will be attending the Mumbai Indians trials today (Monday). Milind was part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad for 2014 and 2015 and later he was with the Delhi Daredevils for the 2018 season but never made his IPL debut. The two Hyderabad boys would love to convert the trial into team selection before the next season.