Veteran Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar feels that Mumbai Indians will at the very least, finish in the top three, particularly because they have a point to prove after last year's dismal performance. Gavaskar added that the franchise will miss Jasprit Bumrah, but all in all, Rohit Sharma's team has all the elements to win the championship once again.
"They'll have to forget what happened last season, this is a fresh season to believe that they can do it again. They've got the team, they are, you know probably going to miss Jasprit Bumrah, but otherwise, they've got a team that can win the championship once again I see them being in the top two this time around or top three definitely because I think they have a point or two to prove after their last year's performance," he said to Star Sports, the official television broadcaster of IPL 2023.
Jofra Archer: The X-Factor
One of the best picks for Mumbai Indians was Jofra Archer in the 2022 mega-auctions. He was injured and wasn't available for that season, but Gavaskar feels, that come the latest season, Archer will be Mumbai's trump card. He further talked about how he felt that Rohit Sharma would do something really special this season.
"Jofra Archer, one, definitely. I think Ishan Kishan after his debut for India in one-day cricket getting a double hundred, will be somebody to watch out for as well. And I think Rohit Sharma will do something really special this season Their biggest strength is obviously going to be Jofra Archer coming back because Jofra Archer is the kind of bowler who can take you wickets at the start and who can bowl the overs, the final couple of overs where he can get the wickets and block the runs as well," he said.
Overseas Picks
Gavaskar also spoke about his four overseas players for Mumbai, and why he sees big-hitting Australian finisher Tim David as a game-changer. "The four overseas picks would be the big signing Cameron green. Another big signing, Jofra Archer. Tim David, three. And between the two, depending on form, depending on the opposition, either Tim or Stubbs or Dewald Brevis."
"Tim David is going to be the X-Factor because he is the kind of player who can change the game in a couple of overs. Cameron Green, he's again somebody who will make a big difference with both bat and ball. He might even bat at number three because of the fact that when he's played for Australia, he's opened the batting and he's scored so many runs so quickly," he added.
Gavaskar, however, pointed out Mumbai's potential weakness in the spin department and said that it looks a little light. "I think it would be perhaps the spin combination because they've got a lovely new ball attack. The spin combination looks just a little bit light."
MI will face RCB in their tournament opener at Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 2
