Mumbai Indians talent scouts on the mark again with Madhwal
Mumbai Indians are one step away from making it to the final of the IPL, and that is nothing short of a miracle after how their season started.
Rohit Sharma’s team began the tournament without injured pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and lost fellow quick Jofra Archer during the season to more fitness issues.
As the season wore on, a number of bowling options were tried, including Arjun Tendulkar, Riley Meredith and Arshad Khan. They didn’t quite work, until Mumbai gave Akash Madhwal a go.
The right-arm seamer took to the IPL like duck to water. In seven games so far, Madhwal has picked up 13 wickets at an economy of less than eight an over. In the eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants, the 29-year-old took the tournament by storm with stunning figures of 5-5. For someone who worked as an engineer and played tennis-ball cricket just a few years ago, it has been quite a turnaround. “The team has given me the responsibility so I am trying to do it,” Madhwal said. “It’s not that I can take his (Bumrah’s) place, but whatever I can do in my capacity, I am doing.”
It has turned out to be yet another success story for Mumbai’s talent scouts. Bumrah and all-rounders Hardik and Krunal Pandya were picked early by the franchise. Young batsman Tilak Varma and this season, fellow southpaw Nehal Wadhera too have turned out be excellent selections.
If Madhwal puts in another good effort when Mumbai face Gujarat on Friday for a place in the final, it would be crowing achievement for a team that has become a nursery for future stars.