IPL 2020 Auction: 3 released uncapped Indian batsmen MI might target

Defending champions Mumbai Indians will be heading to the IPL 2020 player auction with a purse amount of INR 13.05 crore- the least among all the eight franchises. They have persisted with the core members of their title-winning 2019 squad despite releasing 12 players that include big guns like Ben Cutting and Alzarri Joseph (who was sensational after coming in as a replacement signing last season). Though team Mumbai has got most of its bases covered, right from the opening combination to the pace bowling department, Rohit Sharma's men will be looking to strengthen their middle order, which needs some reinforcement, before heading to title defense.

With seven slots (five domestic, two overseas) available, the four-time winners will be looking to bolster their batting line-up with new recruits. Known for bringing out the best in domestic talents, Mumbai might target a few released uncapped Indian players to serve them in the middle-order. Let us look at three released domestic batsmen the Mumbai Indians might target at 2020 IPL auction.

---

#1 Rahul Tripathi

Rahul Tripathi

Tripathi, who shot into the limelight with his swashbuckling knocks for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant franchise during the 2017 IPL, will be one of the hard-hitters to watch out for in this year's edition, provided he gets bought by one of the teams. He was one of the key members of the Steven Smith-led franchise during their runner-up finish in season ten, having amassed 391 runs at a strike-rate of 146.44. His exploits with the bat for Pune earned him a lucrative contract during the 2018 auction where he was bought by Rajasthan Royals for a whopping INR 3.40 crore. Apart from leading Maharashtra to a runner-up finish at 2018-19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he finished the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season as his side's highest run-scorer, scoring 504 runs in eight matches.

Also see - IND vs WI schedule 2019

Amidst many expectations, Tripathi had a mediocre two-year stint with Rajasthan Royals managing 226 runs (2018) and 141 runs (2019) respectively and was unable to replicate his magic with the bat for the Jaipur-based franchise. Nevertheless, he deserves an opportunity to prove himself once again in the IPL, which he, unfortunately, couldn't do at Rajasthan Royals. Having traded Siddhesh Lad (Kolkata Knight Riders) and Evin Lewis (Rajasthan Royals), Mumbai Indians might find a perfect replacement in Tripathi.

Despite gaining popularity as an opener, the 28-year-old has proved his credentials as a proper middle-order batsman in the Indian domestic tournaments, contributing heavily after coming in at number four, five, and six. His two half-centuries in the recently concluded 2019-20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Haryana (61 off 37 balls) and Punjab (63* off 27 balls) as a middle-order batsman are perfect examples of that. It would be a smart investment for Mumbai if they could sign Tripathi at the 2020 auction, given his flexibility to bat freely at any position.

#2 Milind Kumar

Milind Kumar

The 28-year-old grabbed the headlines recently with his sensational batting during the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy, where he emerged as the highest run-getter, scoring 1331 runs for Sikkim in eight matches, including four half-centuries, six centuries, and a highest score of 261. He has already been a part of two franchises in the IPL- Delhi Daredevils (2014) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (2019). Despite his heroics with the bat, the current Tripura skipper did not get an opportunity to don the RCB jersey last season after being bought at his base price of INR 20 lakhs.

The experienced batsman, who has represented Delhi and Sikkim in the domestic circuit, started off the ongoing 2019-20 Ranji Trophy with a half-century against Jharkhand, top-scoring for his new side Tripura. With Mumbai Indians recently showing interest in Milind by calling him for selection trials ahead of the auction, let us hope he gets his much-deserved opportunity to prove his credentials in the IPL.

#3 Dhruv Shorey

Dhruv Shorey

Dhruv Shorey began his career with Chennai Super Kings after being bought at his base price of INR 20 lakhs at the 2018 auction. Unfortunately, he did not get enough opportunities to prove himself during his two-year stint with MS Dhoni's men, for whom he made one appearance each in the 2018 and 2019 seasons before being released ahead of the upcoming IPL auction. The 27-year-old has been consistent with the bat this year, emerging as the second-highest run-getter for Delhi in 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season with 363 runs.

Apart from leading his side at the 2019-20 Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he went on to finish the tournaments with 275 runs and 170 runs respectively. Given his experience and sensible batting, Shorey could strengthen the Mumbai Indians' middle-order, especially having proved himself across different formats over the past few seasons in the Indian domestic circuit. The Delhi skipper, who is currently plying his trade in the Ranji Trophy, will be hoping to make a mark in the IPL for a brand-new franchise after a forgettable stint at Chennai.