Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra shared his thoughts on who Mumbai Indians (MI) should retain between Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan for IPL 2022.
Mumbai Indians have been the most successful team in the history of IPL with five titles to their name. The main reason for them being the top side is because of their consistent performances and star-studded squad.
With mega auction set to take place ahead of the IPL 2022, each franchise can retain a total of four players. They can opt for different combinations like three India and one overseas or two Indians and two overseas players. The teams have to submit their retention list by 30th November.
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Mumbai Indians no doubt will have the problem of plenty as there would be a lot of headache for the management about whom to retain and whom not to.
Some reports suggest that the five-time champions have retained skipper Rohit Sharma, pacer Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Kieron Pollard. It has also been claimed that there was a toss-up between Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav but the franchise is likely to retain the wicketkeeper-batter.
Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra feels that Mumbai Indians should retain Suryakumar Yadav ahead of Ishan Kishan as he’s a more experienced and versatile player who can bat lower down the order as well.
"It's a tough one. I feel Suryakumar Yadav is a more versatile player who can bat lower down the order as well. He is a little more experienced player. Ishan Kishan is more explosive. My personal vote will be for Suryakumar Yadav," Aakash Chopra said on Star Sports.
Chopra said that even though reports suggest MI could lean towards Ishan Kishan but in Suryakumar Yadav they’ll get the player who has played five to six years of IPL and has three-fours remaining.
"But the reports we are getting is that they could be leaning towards Ishan Kishan. I like Suryakumar Yadav better because if I am looking at the next three-four years, I want to invest in a guy who has already played good five to six years of the IPL and he has three-four years remaining,” he said.
Chopra mentioned that with no RTM available (Right to match card) this time around, it's a big risk for Mumbai Indians to let Suryakumar Yadav go into the auction. He added that Ishan Kishan is a multidimensional player but to get the best out of him he needs to open and the Rohit Sharma-led side needs to see how many openers they want in their side.
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"The only thing is that there is no RTM now. So you might not get who you want. Yes, Ishan Kishan is a multi-dimensional player, he gets two skills and an Indian keeper gets sorted out, who is a match-winner.
“But the thing that goes against Ishan is that Rohit is an opener, so how many openers I want to keep with me because I have to get Ishan to open if I have to get the best out of him. We might get a lot of openers in the market space, Quinton de Kock and Chris Lynn who were already part of this team. I am split, I feel Surya but it could be Ishan, I don't know," he said.
