Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will be eyeing a hat-trick as they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 in Chennai.
From a solid top-order to a starry middle-order, and Jasprit Bumrah at the end, the Rohit Sharma-led side is one of the few franchises that have all their bases covered.
So with their playing XI almost set, here are the five players who could be benched all season.
Arjun Tendulkar: The son of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is the new MI recruit. The young lad who does not have a lot of domestic experience, may not get a game in his IPL debut season. However, he would learn a lot from being a part of the MI dressing room with the likes of Trent Boult and Zaheer Khan. He could be one MI have cleverly invested in keeping their future squad in mind.
Aditya Tare: With MI having Ishan Kishan and Quinton de Kock at the top order, it is next to impossible for Aditya Tare to get a game unless someone is injured. Both are seasoned professionals and would be cautious knowing well that IPL is a long tournament. Tare, however, is a domestic veteran but may have to sit out for the season.
Saurabh Tiwary: Another Indian who would not get a game this season is Saurabh Tiwary. With SKY, Kishan, the Pandya brothers, and even Pollard in the mix, Tiwary would have to be on the sidelines and could get a chance if anyone is injured or out of form.
Mohsin Khan: With having Trent Boult in the side, the Uttar Pradesh lad would have to wait on the bench all season. The 22-year old was first picked up by Mumbai Indians in 2018 and then again bought at the auction for his base price. Keeping the future in mind, Mohsin, a left-arm medium-fast bowler would be a huge prospect in the company of Boult and Zaheer.
Yudhvir Charak: While many not know a lot about him, the 23-year old medium-fast bowler from Jammu and Kashmir would have competition from Jasprit Bumrah and the other MI pace-bowling options. Charak may have to wait for his turn.
