As far as IPL 2022 was concerned, Mumbai Indians (MI) won’t look back on season 15 of IPL with fondness as they finished in last place, becoming the first team to bow out of the race for qualification to the playoffs.
One of the biggest shocks of the season, MI suffered 10 defeats in 14 games, the five-time IPL champs struggled for consistency all season, with veteran players such as skipper Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard and Jasprit Bumrah all failing to rediscover their best form.
Pollard in particular proved to be a huge disappointment as he struggled with both the bat and the ball.
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In the 11 games which he played, the Caribbean all-rounder could only muster up 144 runs at a poor average of 14.40. As the league moved towards the end, Pollard was dropped from the side, with Rohit opting to try fresh faces in favour of the former West Indies skipper.
Considering his struggles in IPL 2022, there have been questions whether Mumbai Indians will retain Kieron Pollard, and cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra feels we may have seen the last of him in an MI shirt.
“I think we have seen the last of Kieron Pollard. ₹6 crores will be released if they don’t retain him. I think they can let Murugan Ashwin (₹1.6 crores) go as well. I am not sure about Jaydev Unadkat (₹1.3 crores) but they can definitely say bye-bye to Tymal Mills (₹1.5 crores),” said Chopra while speaking on his YouTube channel.
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For the unversed, Pollard is one among the only select breed of players who have played for only one franchise through their careers.
Earlier, the veteran announced his retirement from international cricket mid-way through IPL 2022 season, in another shocking move, and it remains to be seen whether he will play for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2023 or not.
