The Indian Premier League(IPL) is one such platform where players belonging to different states, countries, religion and culture come together and compete for the same goal of winning the coveted trophy. After a period of time, we won’t be able to differentiate any of them for they get mixed with each other and operate as a combined unit. This is what we call the power of IPL which crosses all the boundaries and unite players as one chasing a common dream.
Likewise, we also see several state buddies going against each other in the lucrative league. Inspite of them knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses, we see fierce competition and the players leave no stone unturned to tame the opposition. The close acquaintance, though, doesn’t come of help most of the time as we see one of them dominating the proceedings and having the wood over the other. The scenario was evident at the recently concluded IPL where Agarwal playing for KXIP went berserk against the likes of Gopal from RR, both state-mates and share a remarkable camaraderie between them.
In the same way, we have the Mumbai boys playing for different franchises in the IPL and going hard against each other in quest of glory. The clash, though, is exhilarating and enthralling as all of them share excellent chemistry off the field and thus, know each other in and out. In the below piece, we look at 5 such Mumbai players, who play for different franchises other than the Mumbai-based-MI:
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1. Prithvi Shaw
This youngster from Mumbai has achieved it all at such a tender age of 21. Having made his ODI debut against the Kiwis at the start of the year, Shaw got an opportunity to feature as the first-choice opener in the first Test of the ongoing series against Australia.
Shaw was drafted into the then DD side after his impressive showing at 2018 U-19 WC, having led the team to the title glory. The stylish batsman has smashed 826 runs from 38 IPL games at an average of 21.74 and strike rate of 139.76.
Having begun the 2020 season on a high, Shaw soon went off the radar and eventually lost his place in the team after a series of low scores. Inspite of this, the DC management will look to retain him and avail his services, who is not just a bright prospect but a fruitful investment for the future.
2. Siddhesh Lad
This talented Mumbaikar unfortunately had to warm the benches for quite a few years at MI, owing to steep competition for spots available amongst the ranks. As they say, ‘Patience and hard work always pays off’, Lad got his much-awaited opportunity for MI in 2019.
Opening the innings at his home ground Wankhede, Lad struck a crucial 15 runs at a strike rate of 115.38. His overall T20 record playing for Mumbai in the domestic circuit stands as 703 runs from 44 games at an average of 26.03 and strike rate of 122.90.
Currently, he is plying his trade for KKR as the reserved opener to the likes of Gill, Tripathi or Rana. It is highly unlikely that he can break through into the line-up as the preferred opener, but just as his unexpected debut for MI, he may very well see his most cherished dream turn into reality.
3. Shreyas Iyer
Made a mid-season captain in 2018, Iyer took the responsibility as a steep challenge in his career and has fulfilled and justified the role with aplomb. Under his able leadership, DC made it to the playoffs in 2019 and final in 2020 and showed the world that he is a born leader, who eagerly waited for the recognition.
Iyer began his IPL career at DC as an aggressive and flamboyant opener, who only meant destruction. The flying starts that were bestowed as a result went a long way in Delhi procuring a stranglehold over the encounters and pressing home the advantage.
With two settled openers, Dhawan and Shaw, he now bats in the middle order at no. 3 providing the necessary stability and strength to the illustrious batting line-up for DC. He has hammered 2200 runs from 79 games at an average of 31.43 and a strike rate of 126.07.
4.Tushar Deshpande
This talented pacer from Mumbai can bowl in the high 140s and has the ability to hit the blockhole now and then. It is this aspect which helped him in making his anticipated debut for DC as the succouring third seamer to the likes of Rabada and Nortje.
In the 5 games that he played, Deshpande picked 3 wickets and also smacked 21 runs at an average of 21 and a mind-boggling strike rate of 175.
He is relatively young in his cricketing career and there is still a long way to go for this speedster from Mumbai. He has raw pace which is an aspect desirable in the Indian cricket at the moment and if can cut down on the extra runs that he leaks, he can be a useful prospect going forward for India.
5. Shivam Dube
This tall all-rounder from Mumbai enjoyed a dream phase in his cricketing career in the absence of star player, Hardik Pandya. In order to fill the void with a game-changing all-rounder, the Indian team selectors decided to go ahead with the option of Dube, who went onto make his ODI and T20I debut.
He impressed vastly with his clever change of pace and variations bowling right-hand medium-fast and being a southpaw, stroked the ball cleanly over the mid-wicket and square-leg boundary. He does the same job for RCB coming in the lower middle order and changes the course of the match. Dube pummelled 169 runs from 15 games at an average of 16.9 and strike rate of 122.46, and also scalped 4 wickets at an average of 20.25 and economy rate of 7.59 at IPL 2020.
