IPL: 5 players Mumbai Indians (MI) should release ahead of next season

Mumbai Indians have been the most successful side in the IPL history so far, winnings three titles post 2012. Their remarkable consistency is a benchmark for the other teams to follow and for obvious reasons, they are regarded as the team to beat even before the tournament starts. Mumbai Indians’ success is attributed to their settled core of Indian players who are well established in the International circuit and they have the privilege of possessing the world’s best death bowler along with one of the best openers in recent times, in Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma respectively. While their all-rounders in Krunal Pandya and Hardik Pandya look settled, it’s their bench that comes under scrutiny more often than not. Mumbai’s playing XI is strong as any team but their bench strength is rather weak. It is clear that Mumbai Indians need to let go off a few players in order to have a settled bench at their disposal. Let’s have a look at the 5 players that MI should release before the start of the 2020 season 5. Aditya Tare Aditya Tare. (Photo Source: Twitter) Let’s face it, Tare has got no real role at Mumbai Indians at the moment. Last season Tare failed to get any game-time for the Mumbai-based outfit owing to a thumb injury and this time around too, he has to sit out owing to a better keeper-batsman in de Kock. Tare is a quality player and he has his domestic stats to back that statement. Unfortunately though for him, he has been on the sidelines for far too long and Mumbai Indians already have a backup keeper in Ishan Kishan. MI are in need of a quality specialist Indian batsman who can control the middle-overs along with Suryakumar Yadav and they need to let go of Tare and find a specialist Batsman in his place, perhaps in a swap-deal. However, Tare’s IPL career doesn’t look too bright at the Wankhede and going into the auction to be picked up by another team could work like a charm for him. 4. Barinder Sran Barinder Sran. (Photo Source: Twitter) Following his impressive stint with the Sunrisers Hyderabad back in 2016, Sran has come a long way. In the 2016 IPL final against RCB, he picked up the wicket of a set and a dangerous looking Virat Kohli and his ability to bowl at the death is what makes him a quality bowler. However, Sran’s form has taken a dip over the last couple of years and one can see him leaking runs owing to his inconsistency in his lines and lengths. In the 2 games that he featured in this season, Sran has been taken to the cleaners with a hugely disappointing economy of 12.75. In blunt words, Sran is only in the squad because MI does not have a backup Indian pacer at their services for now and one can see the MI depositing Sran back into the auction or trading him for an Indian seamer. 3. Ben Cutting Ben Cutting. (Photo by IANS) The Man of the match of the IPL final 2016, Cutting gave a fantastic all-round performance for SRH. After an average 2017 season with SRH, Ben was sent back to the IPL 2018 auctions where he was consequently snapped up by Mumbai Indians. However, in the 12 games that he has featured for Mumbai over the last two seasons (2018 and 2019), he hasn’t been able to achieve what he’s capable of and is potentially wasting an overseas squad in the current Mumbai set-up. Cutting’s stats don’t back him up too well, accumulating 114 runs at a strike rate of 135. Bowling-wise, Cutting has gone for a bit too many, at an economy of 11.50, picking up 3 wickets. One can see Mumbai lose faith in Cutting for the upcoming season and there is a very good chance of them not retaining the Aussie all-rounder. 2. Lasith Malinga Lasith Malinga. (Photo: IANS) As many would find this controversial, Malinga has had a rather poor IPL season even though he was impressive at the start. However, his form has gradually wore off, leaving nothing to be satisfied off, for Mumbai. Even though he has picked up 15 wickets for Mumbai this season, he has gone at an economy of excess of 9.50. Although Malinga showed glimpses of his old-self, he also proved that his age has got the better of him, being unable to maintain the level of consistency that he used to maintain at a point of time. Malinga needs to deliver in the playoffs if he wants to maintain his spot in the Mumbai Indians but by the looks of it, Mumbai might just do the unthinkable and let go off Malinga before the start of the 2020 IPL season. 1. Yuvraj Singh Yuvraj Singh. (Photo: IANS) Yuvraj has had a rough time in the International circuit ever since the 2011 ICC CWC and his unfortunate encounter with cancer has indeed applied some massive brakes to his once-promising career. However harsh it may be, the truth is that Yuvraj Singh can no longer deliver on a consistent basis and is way past his prime. Yuvraj did score a fifty for Mumbai in their opening game but that was a scratchy knock and it was pretty evident. Barring CSK, KKR, and RR, Yuvraj has featured for every other team in the IPL and it proves that he hasn’t been able to come up with consistent and match-winning performances. The 38-year-old hardly bowls and hence, if he’s in the squad, he’s in as a specialist batsman and so far he hasn’t been able to deliver the goods. Yuvraj’s market value has taken a dip over the years for obvious reasons and this time around, he was bought at his base price by Mumbai. With him being not being successful at the Wankhede, Mumbai would be eager to let go off him.

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IPL: 5 players Mumbai Indians (MI) should release ahead of next season

It is clear that Mumbai Indians need to let go off a few players in order to have a settled bench at their disposal.

4. Barinder Sran

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