IPL 2018: 5 players who can potentially replace Pat Cummins

It will be a tense few days ahead for Mumbai Indians as they look for a suitable replacement for Australian fast bolwer Pat Cummins.

The talented seamer was ruled out of the Indian Premier League with a back injury. He becomes the latest bowler to withdraw from the Indian Premier League after Kagiso Rabada and Mitchell Starc were ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

Cummins, who has previously had back injuries, was impressive with both the bat and ball in the recently concluded test series against South Africa.

He is certainly a class act and replacing him will not be an easy task. There are, however, several cricketers who are up for the challenge who Mumbai Indians could turn to in order to fill in the gap which his absence would leave.

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#1 Jason Holder

Pakistan v West Indies - One Day International

Jason Holder is a quality player who has improved tremendously over the past couple of years. The young West Indian captain possesses talent with both the bat and ball, which would make him an ideal replacement for Pat Cummins.

Holder missed out at this year's IPL auction and was not selected by any of the franchises. The injury suffered by Pat Cummins might just be the door which Holder needs to remind the world why being overlooked was a mistake.

His pace and bounce offer a lot to a bowling attack as does his ability to bat lower down the order. This will be something that Mumbai Indians will need to consider when looking to replace Cummins, especially given the fact that he is an all-rounder.

#2 Jon-Jon Smuts

England v South Africa - 3rd NatWest T20 International

Jon-Jon Trevor Smuts is a name that might not be very well-known in the cricketing world yet, but this could be the opportunity that the young man from South Africa needs in order to make an impact on the international stage.

Smuts is an opening batsman and a slow left-arm bowler. This will provide Mumbai Indians with something in both the batting as well as the bowling department, which should come in handy especially on slow pitches where spinners might thrive.

Some cricketing fans might consider Smuts to be a risky replacement, especially due to the fact that he is relatively unknown. Then again, this might be the perfect reason to select the young man.

#3 David Wiese

South Africa v England - 1st KFC T20 International

David Wiese is no stranger to the IPL, having played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore during 2015 and 2016.

The all-rounder from South Africa is a handy middle-order batsman and his aggressive style will be an attractive characteristic which Mumbai Indians might want to consider. Being an all-rounder, he offers something with the ball as well.

This is a factor which makes him a very dangerous player and one which might be the most suitable replacement for Cummins.

#4 Andile Phehlukwayo

England v South Africa - Royal London ODI

Andile Phehlukwayo was overlooked in the IPL auction earlier this year, but the man from South Africa might just be an exciting replacement for Cummins.

The all-rounder from South Africa has made an impressive start to his international career and is a regular in both the ODI and T20 squads for his country.

His energy and enthusiasm make him a wonderful addition to any team and he possesses a lot of talent with both the bat and ball. He has shown that he has the ability to score lower down the order as well as take wickets, which would certainly be something that Mumbai Indians should consider.

#5 Travis Head

England v Australia- ICC Champions Trophy

The final player on our list is Travis Head. The hard-hitting Australian has a lot of talent with both bat and ball and would make a useful addition to any team.

His energetic and competitive approach make him a valuable player and his all-round abilities make him a game-changer in more ways than one.

As with the other players on the list, Head was not picked up by any of the franchises during this year's IPL auction. An injury to his fellow Australian might just be his chance to prove his worth at this year's tournament.