Mumbai sign Madhwal as Yadav’s replacement ahead of SRH clash
Five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians (MI) on Monday announced that they have signed Akash Madhwal as a replacement for bater Suryakumar Yadav in IPL 2022, said an official tournament release. Yadav was earlier ruled out of the remainder of the tournament for Mumbai due to a let forearm muscle injury sustained in the match against Gujarat Titans.
“Akash Madhwal, has been with the Mumbai Indians as part of the support team and has now signed on to join the squad for the 2022 season. Akash Madhwal is a right arm medium fast bowler and has represented Cricket Association of Utarakhand across all three formats of the game since making his debut in 2019,” said an official statement from the franchise.
Madhwal is a 28-year-old right-arm mediumpacer from Utarakhand who has played 15 T20s and taken 15 wickets at an average of 26.60 and economy rate of 7.55. He has also played six First-class matches and 11 List A matches, picking eight and 14 wickets respectively.
Madhwal will join Mumbai Indians at the price of INR 20 lakh. “Akash was chosen at the MI preseason camp to join the support team and has over the months demonstrated his ability with the ball, earning him the opportunity to join the season squad,” added the franchise.
Already out of contention for the playoffs and siting on botom of the points table with three wins from 12 matches, Mumbai will be playing for pride and exploring their bench strength when they face Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians’ Tim David said siting out ater playing initial matches of IPL 2022 gave him a chance to train hard and adjust to the conditions of the tournament.
Since being brought back into the playing eleven against Rajasthan Royals on April 30, David let his impact as a finisher with 44 not out against Gujarat Titans and has kept his place in the eleven.
“I was siting out ater the first couple of games, and I guess during that period, it was an opportunity for me to train really hard and do as much work as I can in the nets, in the gym, bowling, all stuff like that. It was an opportunity to get used to the conditions, and see how other teams are stacking up, what is effective in these conditions in the IPL. So that was a good period for me to work really hard and get ready to come back into the team when that opportunity came,” said David in the pre-match virtual press conference.
What also helped David was picking his captain Rohit Sharma’s brain on excelling in Indian conditions. “Obviously, Rohit’s played a lot of cricket, so it’s about trying to gain some of his experiences, staying calm, things that work in Indian conditions, and how we want to play as a team together. It’s been a good experience to share the dressing room with him, and hopefully it can continue.”
In the last 12 months, David has made a name for himself in franchise T20 cricket with his power-hiting skills, especially against the pacers. Asked about his mantra for success in power-hiting, a smiling David explained, “I spend a lot of my time in the nets trying to hit sixes. I think it’s about puting pressure on the bowler and recognising the right situations for when you can try that in a game. There might be different pitches, or grounds that suit powerhiting off particular bowlers.”
“You’ve got to pick those moments, and also you’ve got to be aware that it’s not going to come off all the time, and bating in the middle-order can be risky. I think it’s about maintaining your confidence through the season and trusting your ability, which you can get through training. Lots of practice. Make sure you’re hiting the ball well, and you can just take that into the game.”
David further stressed on the importance of having clarity in the mind while going out to bat. “You do all your work outside the game: in the nets, in the gym to make sure you’re feeling strong and you are hiting the ball well. And then once it’s in the game, it’s all mental. I think it’s the same for all baters, you’ve got to go in with a clear mind.”
“If you don’t, if you’re carrying things into the game, you can get a patchy performance. So it’s about trying to get into that state where you can try and be as consistent as possible mentally. And then if you trust your process, and stick to it, then that will most oten bring the best results.”
Though Mumbai are out of contention for the playoffs, the group is in good spirits ahead of their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday, according to David. “Kind of felt like the season didn’t really start for us till we got that first win. Since then we’ve played some really good cricket. We’ve won three of our last four games and there’s been a good feeling in the team.”
Already out of contention for the playoffs and siting on botom of the points table with three wins from 12 matches, Mumbai will be playing for pride and exploring their bench strength when they face Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday