Mumbai Indians have brought in New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne as a replacement for the injured Pat Cummins, who was ruled out of the 11th IPL season and did not arrive in India.
Milne will join Jasprit Bumrah, Mustafizur Rahman and former New Zealand team-mate Mitchell McClenaghan in MI’s pace attack. He had played five IPL matches in two previous seasons – 2016 and 2017 – for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
At Mumbai, Milne will also be working under bowling coach Shane Bond, his idol while growing up and with whom he had worked with when Bond was New Zealand’s bowling coach.
The 26-year-old speedster has played 70 T20s so far and taken 83 wickets with an economy rate of 7.77; he’s Mumbai Indian’s second replacement fast-bowler after McClenaghan was drafted in for Australia’s Jason Behrendorff, who was also ruled out with an injury.
Milne’s ability to bowl at speeds of above 150 kph also makes him a formidable pacer. Hence, his signing is a pretty clever move by Mumbai Indians.
However, it will be very, very difficult for Milne to seal a spot in the playing XI as MI already have a pretty strong bowling department. Whether he gets a chance to play for MI or not, only time will tell.
