Five-time IPL Champions Mumbai Indians are in trouble ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Their key pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the tournament while their auction pick, Australia's Jhye Richardson will also not play IPL 2023 due to injury. The team is left with only Jofra Archer and Piyush Chawla with some experience in the bowling attack while many reckon that Jason Behrendorff might have to feature in the playing XI to strengthen their bowling attack.
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra also thinks the same as he has pointed out that the five-time champions have a weak bowling attack compared to other teams. He feels that Behrendorff will have to play but also noted that the left-arm pacer just picks up one wicket citing example of his performances in the Big Bash League.
"When I talk about their weakness, I have to go towards bowling. They will have to definitely play Jason Behrendoff. Although he had a good BBL (Big Bash League), but he is a one-wicket bowler. He generally picks up just one wicket. We saw very few games in the BBL as well where he picked up two or three wickets," Aakash Chopra said while speaking on his official Youtube channel.
There are rumours going on that Gerald Coetzee might go to MI as an injury replacement for one of their players. But according to Aakash Chopra, even that will not solve MI's bowling issues. "I am hearing that there are discussions about Gerald Coetzee. He might become a part of this team, so they will get another fast-bowling option, but it will be an overseas option," he added.
Chopra has pointed out that the MI bowling attack lacks a genuine Indian fast bowler and reckons that is where the team might struggle. "If I try to search for the Indian options, they have Nehal Wadhera, Shams Mulani, Duan Jansen, Cameron Green, Jofra Archer, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Hrithik Shokeen, Arjun Tendulkar, Raghav Goyal and Piyush Chawla - I don't see Indian fast bowlers. They might have to get Cameron Green, Jofra Archer and Jason Behrendoff to bowl four overs apiece. After that, I am not seeing any more bowlers. I see Piyush Chawla, Kumar Kartikeya and Hrithik Shokeen but they are not exactly the best bowling attack," he added.
