Bhajji, Rayudu retained by MI

Mumbai: Mumbai Indians have maintained faith in their experienced campaigner Lasith Malinga to retain him for the seventh season of Indian Premier League. Dashing West Indian all rounder Kieron Pollard is the second foreigner among the five players retained by the defending champions as per IPL’s new retention rules.

Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson who played a crucial role in Mumbai Indians title win last year and was in red hot form in the just concluded Ashes series, has missed out. However Johnson will now be favourite to be obtained through ‘Right to Match’ cards that the franchise can exercise during the two-day auction on February 12 and 13.

Malinga signed with Mumbai in 2009, and has remained its key bowler since. But the Sri Lankan pacer hasn’t been in his elements off late. Pollard hasn’t been part of West Indies side since October 2013 due to knee injury but his swashbuckling batting and utility medium pacers besides acrobatic fielding has prompted his owners to retain him.

Apart from Malinga and Pollard, skipper Rohit Sharma, former skipper Harbhajan Singh and middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu are the Indian players to be retained by the Mumbai Indians.

Rayudu who is with the franchise from long and can keep wickets as well was preferred over regular wicket keeper Dinesh Karthik. “The formidable combination of these five players — Rohit, Pollard, Malinga, Bhajji and Rayudu  — forms the nucleus of Mumbai Indians,” Mumbai Indians owner Nita Ambani said.

“With the retention of the core players, Mumbai Indians look forward to build a stronger, well-knit team and share the joy of an enthralling and entertaining performance with its ever-growing fans in the coming season,” she added.

Mumbai Indians have had phenomenal success over the last four years, both on and off the field, emerging as one of the most successful and followed teams. They won IPL in 2013 and have been Champions League T20 champions twice. However they will miss their icon player Sachin Tendulkar who has retired from all forms of cricket.