5 players Mumbai Indians should retain for the next IPL season

The 10th season of IPL was one of the best seasons so far and the way the final between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant was contested, truly summed up the whole tournament. It turned out to be a nail-biter as Mumbai emerged victorious off the last ball of the match and were crowned the champions for the third time. Pune fought hard but at the end, it must be said that MI were the deserved winners for the way they played in the whole league. Now that the tournament is done and dusted, it’s time to look forward to what’s in store for the future. An auction will be conducted next year and there are several speculations already. BCCI hasn’t yet announced on the format as to whether it will be an open auction or the teams would be allowed to retain certain players. If the teams are indeed allowed to retain players, here are the 5 players that the defending champions should look to retain: #1 Rohit Sharma Rohit Sharma of Mumbai Indians. (Photo: Dhananjay TK/IANS) The first name that comes to mind when thinking about the most impactful players of MI is the skipper Rohit Sharma. He has been so instrumental in the success of the team over the course of last 7 years. In the previous 5 years of his captaincy, the team has won 3 IPL titles and made it to the playoffs once. He has emerged as the most successful captain in IPL history with 3 triumphs. His personal record speaks for itself. In 159 IPL matches, he has amassed 4207 runs at an average of 32.61. He has a career strike rate of 130.9 and also 32 half-centuries. The 30-year-old is currently the third highest run-getter in IPL history and certainly, the one MI would look to retain in the squad. #2 Jasprit Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo Source: Twitter) Bumrah emerged a few years ago as a bowler who had a weird action and could hurry up the batsmen with the slippery pace. But in the last couple of years, no other Indian player has improved like him. He is now India’s best death bowler and perhaps, on the way to becoming the best in the world in that regards. In 2010, he bagged 20 wickets in 16 matches and ended up as the leading wicket-taker for the side. He won numerous matched for MI with his canny bowling during the slog overs. He has all the tricks in the bag, from bowling over 140 clicks at good lengths to delivering toe-crushing yorkers and to deceiving the batsmen with the slower balls. So far, he has picked up 46 wickets in 47 IPL games but it’s a record that is only going to get better with time. At one time, Lasith Malinga used to be the death-overs specialist for MI but that place has surely been occupied by Bumrah. #3 Kieron Pollard Kieron Pollard. (Photo Source: Twitter) The big West Indian all-rounder started playing for Mumbai Indians from the year 2009 and has been a key member of the squad ever since. He has won so many matches single-handedly with his power-packed batting and has chipped in with crucial overs at times with the medium pace. When he gets going, there aren’t too many who can hit the ball as hard as him and no ground is big enough to contain him. He has played 123 IPL games so far and has accounted for 2343 runs and bagged 56 wickets. He has 12 fifties to his name and the most thumping aspect of his batting is the strike rate of 146.53. In the shortest format of the game, a hard-hitting all-rounder is absolutely vital and MI can certainly look to invest in Pollard once more. #4 Hardik Pandya Hardik Pandya of Mumbai Indians in action. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS) One of the most improved Indian cricketers in the recent times has been Hardik Pandya. The right-hander is now touching 140 KMPH with his fast bowling and striking the ball like none other. He came to the fore during the last season and played a pivotal role in MI’s triumph this year. He scored quick runs at crucial junctures of the matches and handed victories to his side. This year, he scored 250 runs at a strike rate of 156.25 and took 6 wickets. Overall, he has 406 runs to his credit in 37 IPL games to go with 10 wickets. Hardik possesses skills in the third aspect of the game too as he is an acrobatic fielder capable to plucking some breathtaking catches. He is surely the one to be invested in for the future and MI would certainly consider him. #5 Krunal Pandya Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: ESPN cricinfo) Just like his younger brother, Krunal too has impressed a lot in the IPL. In the last 2 seasons, he has made a name for himself with his all-round abilities. The 25-year-old gives you 4 overs with the left-arm spin and then bats according to the state of the game. He can build an innings as well as go after the bowling from the outset. In 25 IPL matches, he has scored 480 runs and picked up 16 wickets. The left-hander played a crucial role in handing MI their third title. In the second Qualifier, he scored 45 off 30 balls and revived his side from the early losses to chase the target against Kolkata Knight Riders. Then, in the final against Rising Pune Supergiants, he scored a gritty 47 that took his side to a competitive total. With these two knocks, he has proved he knows how to handle pressure and is certainly the one for the future.

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5 players Mumbai Indians should retain for the next IPL season

The defending champions have plenty to choose from but these 5 players stand out

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