IPL 2023: Mumbai Indians planning to release Kieron Pollard? Harbhajan Singh has this to say

IPL
franchises
have
one
more
day
to
finalise
their
squad
for
the
next
season
as
they
will
have
to
submit
the
final
list
of
retained
players
by
Tuesday
(November
15).

The
16th
edition
of
the
cash-rich
league
will
see
all
ten
participating
teams
undergo
preparations
in
full
swing
in
order
to
make
their
squad
as
ready
as
possible
before
the
mini-auction
on
December
23
in
Kochi.

While
there
are
some
franchises
who
have
already
traded
players,
it
will
be
interesting
to
see
if
the
teams
retain
some
of
the
old
names
which
have
been
in
the
squad
for
years.
Moreover,
each
team
has
been
granted
an
increase
in
their
spending
power
with
a
sum
of
Rs
5
crore
being
added
to
their
purse.
This
will
increase
their
value
to
Rs
95
crore
for
the
mini-auction.

Former
India
spinner
Harbhajan
Singh
believes
releasing
Pollard
–
who
has
been
a
part
of
the
franchise
for
more
than
a
decade
–
will
not
be
an
easy
decision.

Speaking
on
Star
Sports
show
‘Game
Plan
–
IPL
Retention
Special’,
Harbhajan
–
when
asked
whether
MI
should
retain
Pollard
–
said,
“Well,
I
think
it’s
going
to
be
very
difficult
for
Mumbai
Indians
to
release
Kieron
Pollard.
He’s
been
there
for
many
years.
But
yes,
there
are
times
when
you
have
to
take
a
few
tough
calls
and
maybe
this
is
the
time.

“They
have
to
move
forward
and
make
a
team
for
the
next
4-5
years
and
try
to
find
someone
who
can
do
what
Pollard
has
done
over
the
years.”

Harbhajan
–
who
represented
Mumbai
Indians
for
ten
seasons
–
said
the
franchise
has
someone
like
Tim
David
–
who
is
a
like-for-like
replacement
for
Pollard
–
and
then
there
will
be
Australia
all-rounder
Cameron
Green
up
for
grabs
in
the
auction.

“Yes,
they
have
Tim
David,
who
can
do
a
similar
sort
of
job
and
of
course,
there
is
another
Australian
in
the
auction
that
is
Cameroon
Green.
I
think
they
will
be
eyeing
him
to
be
part
of
the
Mumbai
setup.
Of
course,
it’s
going
to
be
a
tough
call,
but
at
some
stage,
you
have
to
take
those
calls.”

‘MI
should
go
after
Cameron
Green’

Former
Team
India
pacer
Irfan
Pathan,
meanwhile,
highlighted
a
major
chink
in
MI’s
bowling
armour
and
suggested
the
franchise
should
look
for
a
death
bowler
who
can
shoulder
some
responsibility
with
Jasprit
Bumrah.

Speaking
about
what
strategy
the
Mumbai-based
franchise
will
deploy
if
England
pacer
Jofra
Archer
isn’t
available
for
selection
again,
the
Turbanator
said,
“I
think
they
still
need
to
look
for
a
death
bowler.
It’s
very
important
because
Jofra
Archer’s
coming
back
from
injury.
Jasprit
Bumrah
is
also
coming
back
from
injury.
Last
year,
what
I
felt
from
their
bowling
department,
with
Jofra
not
being
there,
they
really
did
not
have
that
sharpness
in
their
bowling,
especially
in
the
death
overs.

“They
kept
going
with
Basil
Thampi
and
Jaydev
Unadkat
as
well,
so
definitely,
even
if
Jofra
and
Jasprit
Bumrah
come
back,
they
still
need
someone
at
the
back
end
at
least
for
the
sake
of
a
replacement.
If
something
goes
wrong
between
Bumrah
and
Archer,
they
need
someone
who
can
bowl
at
the
death.
So,
I
really
think
they’ll
be
looking
at
that
as
well.”