Gavaskar wants MI to give chance to younger players in remaining IPL fixtures
Mumbai, May 14
Ahead of the Punjab Kings clash against the Mumbai Indians, former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said that after being eliminated from playoff contention, MI must give a chance to younger players in the squad so that they can be better placed for the next season, aware of their strengths and weaknesses.
PBKS will be aiming to snap their four-match losing streak after a dream start, and MI, sitting in the bottom half, could be an easy target for them. Gavaskar highlighted PBKS' desperation to break this winless run that comes just after a seven-match unbeaten run and as a MI supporter, adviced the five-time champions to try out more youngsters in their final few games.
Speaking on Star Sports 'Cricket Live', Gavaskar said, "Punjab Kings would be desperate to get back to winning ways. After losing four games in a row, that is when you start to doubt yourself. Then you start looking around. You wonder whether you need to make changes in the playing XI or do something differently. Punjab will want to win."
"As far as the Mumbai Indians go, I am a Mumbai Indian supporter. And now that they are out of contention of the playoffs, I would like to see them try some younger players. Who they leave out is for them and their management to decide. But they have some young players in their reserves, those who have not had an opportunity yet to prove their worth. Give them chances in the remaining three matches and see what they are like. That way, you will be better placed for the next season," he signed off.
Raj Angad Bawa, opener Danish Malewar, wicketkeeper-batter Robin Minz, Krish Bhagat and Raghu Sharma are some of the lesser-used talent that MI can try in their final three matches.
Ryan Rickelton(w), Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Will Jacks, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Trent Boult, Raghu Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Robin Minz, Shardul Thakur, Quinton de Kock, Hardik Pandya, Keshav Maharaj, Ashwani Kumar, Mayank Markande, Sherfane Rutherford, Danish Malewar, Krish Bhagat, Mohammed Salahuddin Izhar Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Marcus Stoinis, Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Ben Dwarshuis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Yash Thakur, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Praveen Dubey, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Lockie Ferguson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Nehal Wadhera, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Vishal Nishad.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally someone said it! MI's obsession with playing the same old stars while youngsters rot in reserves is frustrating. Look at how PBKS has been experimenting...they had a great run. MI needs to learn from that. Hope Hardik gives Raj Bawa and others a proper run in these last games.
As an MI fan since 2013, I agree with Gavaskar. But I also think we need to be realistic - throwing youngsters into a losing team might not help their confidence. The management should pick 1-2 games where conditions suit them and give them proper support. Not just toss them in!
Good suggestion from Gavaskar, but let's be honest - MI's problem this season wasn't about youth vs experience. It was about poor bowling in the death overs and inconsistent batting from seniors like Rohit. Even Bumrah can't win matches alone. Try youngsters, sure, but fix the core issues first. 🤔
I actually think PBKS might be the easier team to face right now. They're in a slump, and MI could use this as a confidence booster for the youngsters. Imagine Krish Bhagat bowling to Shreyas Iyer or Robin Minz facing Arshdeep - that's proper exposure! Make it happen, MI management. 🙏
Gavaskar is a legend but this is pretty obvious advice. Every team does this when they're out of playoffs. The real question is whether MI will actually listen or continue with their 'star policy'. I hope they give Raj Bawa a game - that guy can bat and bowl, perfect utility player for next year!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.