IPL 2020: Auction strategy for Mumbai Indians

Defending champions Mumbai Indians have been the most successful team in the IPL with four trophies.

Very much like arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai believe in keeping the core of the team intact. In all their four victorious campaigns, the core of the team was more or less the same.

As they head to the IPL 2020 auctions, MI will have a clear idea of what they need. They have maintained the same strategy as usual in the transfer window.

The trades to get in Trent Boult and Dhawal Kulkarni seemed very tactical. Jason Behrendorff's injury made them look for an alternative for the left-arm pacer, and who better to fit in that role than Boult. Kulkarni's inclusion, meanwhile, was made to buff up the Indian pace contingent.

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Moreover, the emergence of Rahul Chahar allowed them to let go of Mayank Markande.

Mumbai Indians made 10 releases, none of which were unexpected. Big names like Yuvraj Singh, Evin Lewis and Ben Cutting were released as they found it hard to fit them in the scheme of things.

Yuvraj Singh

List of retained and released players

Retained: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Kieran Pollard, Quinton de Kock, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, Krunal Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Trent Boult (Transferred), Rahul Chahar, Ishan Kishan, Anukul Roy, Dhawal Kulkarni (Transferred), Aditya Tare, Sherfane Rutherford (Transferred), Jayant Yadav

Released: Yuvraj Singh, Evin Lewis, Adam Milne, Jason Behrendorff, Barinder Sran, Ben Cutting, Alzarri Joseph, Beuran Hendricks, Rasikh Salam and Pankaj Jaiswal

Available Slots: Seven (two overseas)

Purse remaining: Rs 13.05 cr

Here we analyse how Mumbai Indians should approach the auctions, taking a look at possible strategies and identifying potential candidates they could look out for.

Areas of concern

Mumbai Indians have got most of their bases covered. The playing XI is quite formidable from the list of retained players. The focus will mainly be on improving the bench strength, especially in batting.

With the release of Yuvraj, Lewis and Cutting and the trade of Siddhesh Lad, Mumbai will look to get some better options with the bat who can come in handy when someone from the playing XI gets injured.

The bowling department, especially the fast bowling, looks quite strong. However, they might look to get in a few backups, keeping in mind the injury concerns to Bumrah and Boult.

Overall, Mumbai seem to be one of the only few teams to go into the auctions with no major loopholes in the squad.

Probable buys

Tom Banton

Mumbai Indians were rumored to be in talks with Tom Banton, and hence might go for the Somerset opener in the auctions. Some middle order power-hitters like Colin de Grandhomme and Shimron Hetmyer might also attract bids from the management.

Mumbai have the knack of unearthing a unknown domestic talent almost every single year. So expect them to go for a few lesser known domestic players..

Going into the auction with the lowest purse remaining, the defending champions will probably be having a couple of guys on their radar, who they will go all out for.