IPL Auction: Inexperienced overseas recruits and lack of a solid keeper a concern for Mumbai’s Indians | Cricket News

For Mumbai Indians, the two days at the auction in Jeddah was all about getting the players who will compliment their core. So unless one of their targets came up, they largely remained uninterested, but pursued their interests all out. With Mahela Jayawardene back as head coach, they went back to the success formula that has won them titles in the past. Here is how MI’s squad looks now.
Batsmen
Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Bevan-John Jacobs.
Wicketkeepers
Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton, Krishnan Shrijith.
All-rounders
Hardik Pandya (pace), Naman Dhir (spin), Will Jacks (spin), Raj Angad Bawa (pace), Vignesh Puthur (spin).
Spinners
Allah Ghazanfar, Karn Sharma, Mitchell Santner.
Fast bowlers
Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, Satyanarayana Raju, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams.
First impression
They are going to be heavily dependent on their Indian core and hope they remain available through the course of the tournament. With core of their Indian players, especially the batsmen, already intact that they would use the auctions to build a bowling attack was clear. And so they brought in Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar – two exceptional new ball bowlers – who will ensure they can use Jasprit Bumrah in the second half of the innings. But what surprised was their investment in overseas players, where six of them are thin on experience. Three of those – Riyan Ryan Rickelton, Bevon-John Jacobs and Allah Ghazanfar are new to IPL. And more importantly, what remains to be seen is, who will be their first-choice wicketkeeper as they don’t have a big, reputed name behind the stumps. They have the option of playing Rickelton, but that would mean Jacks bats outside the top three. So starting with Minz or Shrijith could be an option and bring one of their overseas players as Impact Player. It is no doubt a glaring hole, but given their strong Indian core, they would expect it to cover it up.
Area of concern
They have never been a franchise that goes big on spinners and it showed this time too. Mitchell Santner will be a sure shot starter and addition of mystery spinner Ghazanfar could come handy.
Playing XII
1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Will Jacks, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Naman Dhir, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Robin Minz, 8 Deepak Chahar, 9 Mitchell Santner, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Trent Boult, 12 Allah Ghazanfar/Ryan Rickelton.