The most successful team in the IPL, Mumbai Indians, suffered their worst finish in the IPL last season when in IPL 2022, the Rohit Sharma-led outfit won only 4 games – after losing their first 8 – and finished at the bottom of the 10-team points table.
However, the Ambani-owned franchise has most times done well at the auction, so the fans are already backing MI to do well next year. With the IPL 2023 returning to the home and away format, and given MI’s good record at their home venue, Wankhede Stadium, they will once again begin the tournament as firm favourites.
Before that, MI will have to make some deductions and additions to their squad before and during the IPL 2023 auction, which is slated for mid-December. They are likely to release a number of bowlers and will aim to buy better overseas players.
Here are 3 overseas players Mumbai Indians might target at IPL 2023 auction:
Sam Curran
If Sam Curran does enter himself in the IPL 2023 auction – after pulling out last year due to injury – he will set the auction on fire. The 24-year-old is a renowned bowling all-rounder and has the capability of turning the game on its head with either skill.
In 32 IPL games between 2019 and 2021, Sam has picked up 32 wickets – including a hat-trick – and with the bat, in the IPL he averages 22 at a strike rate of 149 with a couple of fifties.
MI are likely to release the likes of Tymal Mills, Riley Meredith and maybe a couple of other Indian pacers. Curran has shown adeptness with both the new ball in the powerplay and with the older ball in the death overs. The all-rounder has immense future potential and will only strengthen any side he is on; MI might want him to be on their side. They need a good overseas bowler to partner Bumrah and Archer – and even take up responsibility if they are unfit.
Tom Curran
Sam’s elder brother Tom Curran, who is also a bowling all-rounder, also missed the IPL last year due to injury. Known as a T20 specialist, the 27-year-old has featured in 166 T20s snapping up 185 wickets at an economy of 8.85, which is commendable given he bowls most of his overs in the second half of the innings – Tom Curran is known for his brilliant change of pace, back of the hand slower ball and inch-perfect yorkers.
He can also hit the ball a long distance with the bat, making him a utility T20 cricketer. With MI’s new-ball bowling looking mostly covered, they’d want the experience and reputation of someone like Tom Curran in the death overs phase.
Adam Zampa
Although MI have barely bought overseas spinners – they have always banked on the Indian spinners – the think-tank might want to make an exception for Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who has, in the past couple of years, emerged as one of the best spinners in the T20 format.
So it was quite surprising that Adam Zampa had gone unsold in the IPL 2022 auction, just months after playing a crucial role in Australia lifting their maiden T20 World Cup. Since the start of 2021, Zampa has taken 38 wickets in 32 T20Is – only 4 spinners from Full Member nations have taken more in this time period – while keeping a tight economy of 7.28.
MI tried 6 different spinners last season – 5 Indians among them – and none of them really locked a position. So the franchise might break their protocol this time and hunt for a quality overseas spinner such as Adam Zampa.
