New Delhi: Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg has unveiled Mumbai Indians’ strategic moves, predicting a keen interest in South Africa’s pace sensation, Gerald Coetzee, and the Australian speedster, Lance Morris. As the cricket world prepares for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Players Auction which will be held away from India for the first time, finding its stage in Dubai on Tuesday (December 19).
With 333 players poised to go under the hammer, the auction promises to redefine team dynamics, with 10 franchises vying to add 77 players to their ranks.
Hogg, wielding his foresight on his YouTube channel, highlighted Mumbai Indians’ quest for a fast-bowling dynamo. He emphasised the need for someone to complement the likes of Joasprit Bumrah and Jason Behrendorff, asserting that Coetzee could be the missing link.
“They need a fast bowler, they have been boosted with an Indian all-rounder in Hardik Pandya. They still need someone to complement Bumrah and Behrendorff. I think they will go for Coetzee upfront, they will be hoping to get him cheaply. If not Coetzee, then they will go for Lance Morris. If MI get both Coetzee and Morris, they will be challenging Gujarat Titans because they will have a very balanced lineup,” said Hogg.
Hogg felt Lance Morris could be the alternative, creating a formidable lineup that could challenge even the mighty GT.
However, the auction drama doesn’t limit itself to the shores of Mumbai. Hogg’s gaze extends to the Punjab Kings, a team that grappled with fast-bowling deficiencies in the previous season, culminating in an eighth-place finish in the IPL 2023 points table.
With a critical assessment, Hogg suggested that Punjab Kings (PBKS) might set their sights on the reliable Josh Hazlewood, aiming to inject depth and potency into their fast-bowling arsenal.
“I don’t know where they are going to go in this particular auction. One thing that they did lack last year is depth in their fast bowling. They relied on Nathan Ellis a lot and Kagiso Rabada did not really fire as well. I think they will go for Josh Hazlewood. He will be really good up there in Mohali as well,” Hogg added.
As the cricketing world braces for the spectacle in Dubai, the storylines of ambition, strategy, and team dynamics unfold, promising a new chapter in the thrilling saga of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Chennai Super Kings won the title last season, beating 2022 champions Gujarat Titans in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
–IANS