With the IPL auction set to take place in a few weeks time, all eight franchises will be looking to build their strongest possible squad ahead of the new season.
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While the auction will be a chance to buy Indian and international players, all the franchises will also be looking to rope in the best uncapped talent in the country.
The likes of Krunal Pandya, for example, have become one of the main stays of the Mumbai Indians side. The all-rounder has been crucial to Mumbai Indians’ success, and will be a sought after player during the auction.
MI in fact have mastered the art of unearthing talent all over the country, and giving them a platform to showcase their skills. The likes of Ambati Raydu, Krunal and Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah were first discovered by Mumbai, and then translated their IPL form on to the international scene.
Former India player and long serving coach, TA Sekhar, has given a blueprint for the type of players that MI is looking for this season.
“We are looking at fast bowlers who could bowl during powerplay as well as during the death overs. If it is a spinner, he should be able to bowl an over in the powerplay and contain batsmen, who are known for going after bowlers,” Sekhar told Sportstar.
“A fast bowler should have variations — yorkers, slower balls, slow bouncer and the bouncer. He should be able to use all the variations effectively,” he added.
“If it is an opening batsman, then we are looking at how he handles fast bowlers and whether he can hit the ball or gives away more of dot balls. A middle-order batsman should be able to rotate the strike. We are also looking at a batsman who can hit sixes and fours in the last four overs,” he revealed the cut-off.
“A fellow who has done well in domestic cricket may not deliver the same at the IPL stage,” he added.
“We know what they are capable of. We are now looking whether they are fit. IPL is a tournament, where every player wants to be fit. People are unfit during the domestic season but they are all getting fit before the IPL. I think IPL is the best physio,” he reasoned.
Though Sekhar is primarily known for being a bowling coach, he didn’t divulge names of bowlers who impressed him in the game. “It will create unnecessary pressure on the players and I don’t want that.”
