IPL: Mumbai Indians's first ever IPL XI- Where are they now?

Mumbai Indians are the most successful franchise in the IPL history, having lifted the IPL Trophy 3 times in 2013,2015 and 2017, along with being runners up in IPL 2010.

The inaugural edition of IPL was not a good one for Mumbai Indians as they lost their first four matches and failed to qualify for the semifinals. Also, there were controversies of the field for the Mumbai team, when their team member Harbhajan Singh slapped Kings XI Punjab's S. Sreesanth after the match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians got finished, leading to Harbhajan Singh being suspended for rest of the IPL 2008.

The Mumbai Indians played their maiden IPL match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on 20 April 2008, at their home ground, and lost the match in the last over to RCB by 5 wickets.

Incidentally none of the 11 players who took the field for Mumbai Indians in their maiden IPL match against RCB, are no more part of Mumbai Indians franchise currently. So, in these article we look at the playing XI of Mumbai Indians that took the field in their maiden ever IPL match:

#1 Luke Ronchi

Luke Ronchi opened the innings for Mumbai Indians in their first ever IPL match, along with Sanath Jayasuriya. The Kiwi wicket-keeper did not have a good game, as he was dismissed for just 8 runs by Zaheer Khan.

Luke Ronchi's last IPL appearance came for Mumbai Indians against Delhi Daredevils, long way back on May 8 2009, and went unsold in the recently concluded 2018 IPL Auctions.

#2 Sanath Jayasuriya

Sanath Jayasuriya was Mumbai's best batsman in IPL 2008, and finished the tournament as third highest run scorer overall, with 514 runs in 14 matches, finishing behind Gautam Gambhir and Shaun Marsh. Jayasuriya even won the maximum sixes award in the 2008 IPL, by smashing 31 sixes.

In Mumbai Indian's first ever IPL match, Jayasuriya scored a quick fire 29 runs of 16 balls, consisting of 5 boundaries and a six, and was later run out by Zaheer Khan. He also picked up a wicket with the ball by dismissing Ross Taylor, but conceded 39 runs of his 4 overs.

Sanath Jayasuriya played for Mumbai Indians from 2008 to 2010, and was back in 2011 IPL auctions, as Mumbai Indians decided not to retain him. In 2011 IPL Auctions, Jayasuriya was many of the star players who went unsold, and later on retired from the international cricket in June 2011.

Recently it was reported in January 2018, that Jayasuriya was suffering from a serious knee injury, and has undergone a surgery in Melbourne.

#3 Dominic Thornley

Australian batsman Dominic Thornley, came to bat at number 3 after Luke Ronchi's dismissal. Thornley played just 5 balls and retired hurt, after being hit on the grill of the helmet by a Zaheer Khan bouncer.

Dominic Thornley played just one season of the IPL and was released by Mumbai Indians ahead of 2009 IPL,

The 39-year-old currently plays for the New South Wales Blue in Australian domestic circuit..

#4 Robin Uthappa

Uthappa was the top scorer for Mumbai Indians, in their first ever IPL match with 48 runs of 38 balls, hitting 5 boundaries and a six, and was dismissed in the 16th over by B Akhil. Uthappa played just one season for Mumbai Indians, and was swapped with Zaheer Khan and moved to RCB just before the beginning of IPL 2009.

Along with RCB, Uthappa has also played for now defunct Pune Warriors India and Kolkata Knight Riders franchises. Uthappa has been the part of Knight Riders team since IPL 2014, and was recently appointed as the vice captain of the Knight Riders.

Uthappa last played an international game for India two years back against Zimbabwe at Harare in 2015. He currently plays for Saurashtra in the domestic circuit and for Kokata Knight Riders in the IPL.

#5 Pinal Shah (WK)

Baroda's wicket keeper, Pinal Shah resurrected the Mumbai innings in their first ever IPL match after the loss of the openers, with a 51 run partnership for the third wicket with Robin Uthappa and scored 19 runs of 23 balls.

Shah played for Mumbai Indians for two seasons, and moved to Rajasthan Royals in 2011, and incidentally played his last IPL game against Mumbai Indians on 20 May 2011.

Shah is also a domestic veteran, and has been part of Baroda team since his debut in 2006. But with the presence of MS Dhoni in the Indian team meant that Shah was unable break it into the Indian team despite consistent performances in the domestic circuit.

#6 Abhishek Nayar

Mumbai all-rounder, Abhishek Nayar was one of the biggest finds for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2008. In Mumbai Indians' first ever IPL match, Nayar scored a quick fire 20 runs of 14 balls with the bat, and was dismissed by Praveen Kumar in the 18th over. Nayar also bowled an over with the ball, and conceded 10 runs.

On the back of his consistent performances in the IPL and domestic circuit, Nayar was rewarded with a maiden call up to the Indian ODI team for the tour of West Indies in 2009, but failed to impress and was dropped just after playing 3 matches, and was never called back again.

Abhishek Nayar has so far played for 3 IPL franchises Mumbai Indians, Pune Warriors India and Rajasthan Royals, with his last IPL appearance coming against Mumbai Indians on 25 May 2014, and is currently playing for Mumbai in the domestic circuit. He was also recently seen as a TV pundit during the IPL 2018 auction.

#7 Shaun Pollock

South African legendary all rounder, Shaun Pollock provided the finishing touches to the Mumbai innings with a quickfire 28 runs of 12 balls with the bat, by smashing 3 fours and 2 sixes helping Mumbai Indians post a competitive total of 165 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in their maiden IPL match, and was dismissed by Zaheer Khan of the final ball of Mumbai innings. Later on with the ball, Pollock bowled an economical spell of 4-0-17-0.

Shaun Pollock, even captained the Mumbai franchise temporarily in IPL 2008, when then Mumbai Indians skipper Harbhajan Singh got suspended for rest of the IPL 2008 due to the whole Slapgate controversy involving Sreesanth.

Shaun Pollock played just one season for Mumbai Indians, and retired from all forms cricket at the end of 2008. Pollock was later appointed as the coach of the Mumbai Indians and was at the helm of the affairs when they clinched the 2011 Champions League T20, and is currently working as a commentator.

#8 Harbhajan Singh (C)

Bhajji was suspended from IPL 2008 for slapping S Sreesanth

Bhajji captained the Mumbai Indians team in their maiden IPL match, because of Sachin Tendulkar being ruled out for the initial part of IPL 2008 due to an injury. Harbhajan Singh had a horrible IPL 2008 both on and off the field, and played just 4 matches and later on was suspended for rest of the IPL 2008, having slapped S Sreesanth after the match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians.

In Mumbai Indians maiden IPL match, Bhaji did not contribute much with the bat as he came to bat in the last over of the Mumbai innings, and was expensive with the ball as he conceded 39 runs in his 4 overs and picked up 2 wickets.

Harbhajan was part of Mumbai Indians franchise for 10 seasons and is now going to turn out for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2018 who bought him at his base price of Rs. 2 crores in the recently concluded IPL Auctions.

#9 Musavir Khote

Musavir Khote(center)

Medium pacer Musavir Khote, impressed Mumbai Indians team management with his hard hitting cameos for Mumbai in the Inter-State Twenty20 domestic tournament in April 2007, which convinced Mumbai Indians to sign him for IPL 2008.

In Mumbai Indians maiden IPL match, Khote did not get a chance to bat or ball and played just 4 games, which incidentally turned out to be his only season of IPL appearance, and later on he retired from all forms of cricket by 2011 at the age of 30.

#10 Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra played just one season for Mumbai Indians, and later went on to play for Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2009. In Mumbai Indians maiden IPL match, Nehra did not have a good game, as his bowling got smashed to the all corners of the stadium, and ended up with an expensive spell of 4-0-45-1.

Nehra has totally played for six IPL franchises, and retired from IPL and international cricket in 2017, there by ending his 18 years long international career.

Currently, Nehra has been appointed as the bowling coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore for IPL 2018 and can also be seen as a TV expert.

#11 Dhawal Kulkarni

Kulkarni played for Mumbai Indians from 2008-2013, before turning out for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2014 who bought him at the 2014 IPL auctions. After Rajasthan Royals was suspended in 2016 for two seasons, Kulkarni appeared for Gujarat Lions in 2016 and 2017 editions of IPL. In the recently concluded IPL 2018 auction, Kulkarni was once again brought back by Rajasthan Royals for Rs. 75 lakhs.

In Mumbai Indians maiden IPL match, Kulkarni went for 19 runs from 2.4 overs and picked up the prized wicket of Shivnarine Chanderpaul. On the back of strong performances in the domestic season 2009, Kulkarni was included in the Indian Test squad for the tour of New Zealand in 2009 but did not get a game.

After toiling hard in the domestic circuit for a very long time, Kulkarni finally made his Indian debut in the 4th ODI against England on September 2014 at Edgbaston, and later on went on to make his T20 international debut against at Harare on 20 June 2016. But he failed to impress with his bowling at the international arena, and played his last international match against New Zealand in October 2016.

Currently, Kulkarni is the captain of Mumbai team in the domestic circuit, with the hope of donning Indian colors once again.