Mumbai Indians, five-time IPL champions, played their cards during the just-completed player auction in Kochi. In an effort to fill the vacuum left by the iconic Kieron Pollard, they broke the bank to get famous Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, making him their most expensive purchase in IPL history. Aakash Chopra, a former Indian opener, believed that the Mumbai franchise needed to make the auction matter following their dismal performance in IPL 2022.
In the previous season of the lucrative league, Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians had a terrible season, finishing last in the standings with just four victories in 14 games. After veteran Windies all-rounder Kieron Pollard accepted a coaching position with the squad, terminating his 11-year career as a player for MI, the Mumbai-based franchise sought to address their problems, particularly in the all-rounder department.
Aakash Chopra, a former cricketer turned analyst, thinks the club is looking lot better following the IPL 2023 auction because they made some good acquisitions for the upcoming season. The return of Jofra Archer and Jasprit Bumrah, he continued, will be a major boost for the team hoping to rebound. “This was an extremely important auction for the Mumbai Indians because they are not used to being where they were last year. They take the penthouse, how will they stay in the basement? But the Mumbai Indians were No. 10, at the bottom. So it was important for them to make the auction count. Jofra Archer and Jasprit Bumrah will be available, so in any case, the team will start looking slightly better,” Chopra said in his Youtube video.
The obvious reasons for Cameron Green’s signing made the news, but the former Indian cricketer believed that the Mumbai Indians made a great commercial decision by acquiring Jhye Richardson. He also announced the four foreign players who would make their IPL 2023 debuts for the Men in Blue and Gold.
“Jhye Richardson, in my opinion, is a steal if you are watching the BBL (Big Bash League), which I watch. You will want to play two overseas fast bowlers because the Indian fast bowling quality is not there. So I am thinking one of Jhye Richardson or Jason Behrendoff, Jofra one hundred percent, and then Cameron Green and Tim David. Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis can take a backseat,” he added.
