The most triumphant contestant in the competition, Mumbai Indians have been one a roll this season. The ‘blue and gold’ brigade have been in scintillating form, and as per many, they are the firm favorites to lift the trophy this edition.
Major credit for this has to go to the exceptional squad that is in place. MI are well-rounded in all departments, and it is extremely difficult to find a chink in their armory. If there is an injury too, MI are adequately stocked on the bench. Quality guys are waiting for their chance, and they can come in and do their job anytime.
Just in case MI are required to field a unit that costs just under INR 10 cr, the team is equipped for this scenario as well. In this article, we would be exploring this side of the squad and would also analyze the strengths and weaknesses.
Openers: Chris Lynn (INR 2 cr) and Quinton de Kock (C&WK) (INR 2.8 cr)
Let alone a squad of under INR 10 cr, as the tournament progresses, we might as well see this duo take the field for Mumbai Indians. Quinton de Kock is a crucial member of the setup and procuring him at INR 2.8 cr was a steal. While the South African is a brilliant opener, he is also one of the best options behind the stumps in world cricket. Considering the restriction of this squad, QDK would lead this XI.
Chris Lynn made his way to the MI squad in the pre-season auctions. MI got hold of him at his base-price, and surprisingly, they are yet to make use of the player. That tells you the strength of MI’s bench. Nevertheless, we could definitely see Lynn at least once in this tournament.
Middle-Order: Anmolpreet Singh (INR 0.8 cr), Aditya Tare (INR 0.2 cr) and Saurabh Tiwary (INR 0.5 cr)
You might call this department slightly inexperienced, but in T20 cricket, under INR 10 cr, it is a tough job to get a better middle-order than this. Anmolpreet Singh is essentially an opener but for the balance of the XI, we have him at No.3. He is an exciting prospect and is highly revered in domestic circles.
In Saurabh Tiwary and Aditya Tare, MI can field two veterans in the middle-order. Both these gentlemen have done well for the team in the past. While Tiwary started well this edition, Tare has been with the MI setup for a long time now. The duo will add stability to this unit.
All-Rounders: Jayant Yadav (INR 0.5 cr) and Prince Balwant Rai Singh (INR 0.2 cr)
You might not have heard of Prince Balwant Rai, but the same was the case with the likes of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah. Mumbai has a good scouting team, and we are pretty sure Prince has plenty of potential to be in the squad.
On the other hand, Jayant Yadav is a veteran in domestic cricket. The Haryana player has played for India too and even has an international Test century to his name. Jayant is an experienced off-spinner and will be an asset to this XI.
Spinners: Anukul Roy (INR 0.5 cr)
The joint wicket-taker at the 2018 U-19 World Cup, Anukul Roy is the ideal backup for Krunal Pandya and Rahul Chahar. The Jharkhand cricketer is wily and has a good understanding of the game. He is in fine form too, and if not this season, we could see him prosper in the future editions of the tournament.
Pacers: James Pattinson (INR 1 cr), Dhawal Kulkarni (INR 0.75 cr) and Mitchell McClenaghan (INR 1 cr)
At a total budget of INR 2.75 cr, this XI can boast of an excellent bowling line-up. James Pattinson has already shown his class this edition and seeing back now, his price-tag of INR 1 cr can be considered as very cheap. Dhawal Kulkarni and Mitch haven’t played as yet, but they are suitable backups to the main pacers. While Dhawal is a top-class powerplay bowler, McClenaghan is a wicket-taking threat for the opposition whenever he has the ball in his hand.
