The Mumbai Indians (MI) have received a major setback as the team’s star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah appears unlikely to be available for the entirety of the upcoming IPL 2023 season. In the upcoming season, MI was looking to field a dream combination of Bumrah and newly acquired England speedster Jofra Archer. Unfortunately, fans must put their dreams of seeing the dynamic duo in action on hold. The loss of arguably one of the best bowlers in the world will be a heavy blow for the five-time IPL champions. Luckily for Mumbai, they have a few different options in the overseas fast bowling department. MI managed to trade in left-arm pacer Jason Behrendorff from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and scooped up fellow Aussie speedster Jhye Richardson and young sensation Duan Jansen at a bargain rate. This gives MI some fantastic alternatives for the coming season. With that being said, here are three reasons why Mumbai Indians should consider playing two overseas pacers this season:
#1 Absence of Jasprit Bumrah
Indian cricket is lacking experienced pacers in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. While Akash Madhwal and Arshad Khan have yet to make their IPL debuts, they could benefit immensely from an experienced bowling leader. Behrendorff and Richardson, with their extensive T20 experience, could certainly lend a hand to these youngsters in crucial situations.
#2 Jofra Archer is just about to return from a long-term injury
Jofra Archer, one of the most dangerous bowlers in T20 cricket, returned to action in January after an extended recovery period from multiple injuries. He is slowly regaining his form and ability to throw at full capacity, but his playtime is being monitored due to the injury risk. This makes it important for the other overseas pacers to be able to pick up the slack when Archer’s accuracy and line start to wane.
#1 MI has a robust Indian core
The core of Indian players in the Mumbai Indians squad has been a key factor in the franchise’s ability to invest in overseas fast bowlers for many years. Despite their disappointing season last year, Mumbai has a strong Indian core that serves the batting line-up and the spin department. The likes of Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Verma have enabled the team to play Tim David as a finisher, and with the departure of Kieron Pollard, Cameron Green will be coming in to fill his role.
