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Cricket Players‘Mumbai seem to have their soul ripped out’: Pietersen explains why IPL 2022 has been a ‘catastrophe’ for 5-time champs
Looking back at Mumbai's catastrophic start to IPL 2022, former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen feels that the franchise “have had their soul ripped out at the mega auction”.
Mumbai Indians, who are the most successful Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise with five IPL titles, have incurred the worst ever start by a team in any season as they lost all their first seven games in IPL 2022. Mumbai are the only side this season who are yet to open an account. Looking back at Mumbai's catastrophic start to IPL 2022, former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen feels that the franchise “have had their soul ripped out at the mega auction”. (IPL 2022 FULL COVERAGE)
Writing in his blog on Betway.com, Pietersen slammed Mumbai's strategy at the auction, opining that the franchise shouldn't have let go of Trent Boult to accommodate an injured Jofra Archer, who will only be available in the next season.
“The IPL has been a catastrophe for Mumbai,” he wrote, “They say that batters win you sponsorships and bowlers win you premierships. I just can’t understand why Mumbai have weakened their bowling so much by using up a spot on an injured Jofra Archer and letting Trent Boult go elsewhere.”
“Left-arm seamers are such a valuable commodity in the shorter form of the game because of the different angle and Boult is as good as it gets. He’s world class.”
He also felt that their biggest loss was not going after ‘match-winners’ in the Pandya brothers and Quinton de Kock at the auction.
"I think he’s their biggest loss, ahead of Quinton de Kock and the Pandya brothers, but they are all fabulous, match-winning players.
"Mumbai seem to have had their soul ripped out at the mega auction. Lots of the star players that made them what they are have left and they have made a horrible start to the competition.
“Mahela Jayawardene must be wondering what’s going on," he added.
Mumbai will take on Lucknow Super Giants in their eighth game this season at the Wankhede Stadium. A loss would imply that Rohit Sharma's men would be virtually out of the competition.
