'We are still very much in tournament': MI coach Kieron Pollard hopef…

Mumbai Indians batting coach Kieron Pollard is still hopeful that the five-time champions will make a comeback in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). MI failed to defend 243 runs on Wednesday at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai against Sunrisers Hyderabad, losing their sixth match of the season in eight outings. They are languishing in ninth place in the points table and are now in a must-win territory to make it to the playoffs. palladian.co.za

Indian women’s cricket, in terms of popularity, has seen a rise in recent times, especially after the historic ODI World Cup 2025 triumph on home soil. That victory has surely made people talk more about the game and follow women’s cricketers more regularly, rather than watching them only during mega events like World Cups.

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) has played a pivotal role in that rise. Since the inception of the franchise-based tournament in 2023, Indian players, both capped and uncapped, have had the opportunity to rub shoulders with experienced international players. That has helped them improve both mentally and physically.

But the real grind and hard work that make a difference take place at the grassroots level. Scouting talent at an early stage, working with them, moulding them through a proper routine, and preparing them for bigger platforms like the WPL, or even the senior Indian team—this is where every journey begins.

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In that regard, the Mumbai Indians (MI), one of the most successful franchises in both the IPL and WPL, have stood out. Whether in men’s or women’s cricket, they have consistently looked to introduce new talent, providing a platform to showcase potential.

In men’s cricket, several players who were once unheard of went on to make headlines for MI, such as Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. Both are now key members of Team India. In women’s cricket as well, MI have not lagged behind. Across four editions of the WPL, they have shown trust in new players, many of whom have delivered. MI have provided opportunities to players like Saika Ishaque, Vaishnavi Sharma, G Kamalini, Rahila Firdous, Kranthi Reddy and Sanskriti Gupta. Notably, the first three have already represented India at the international level.

Speaking on this, former India pacer and legend Jhulan Goswami, in a recent podcast with RevSportz during the Trailblazers Conclave 4.0 in Kolkata, spoke about the ‘MI Junior’ initiative, which has helped the franchise identify talent at a young age.

This tournament is MI’s premier inter-school event under the Reliance Foundation’s Education and Sports For All (ESA) initiative. Its main objective is to inspire young cricketers across Maharashtra, both boys and girls, by offering quality competition at iconic venues.

Jhulan, currently the Mumbai Indians Women’s mentor and bowling coach, is also involved in coaching and mentorship roles across franchise leagues, along with having a key role in the Bengal women’s state team.

During the chat, she highlighted MI’s commitment to providing equal opportunities to budding cricketers.

“MI is such a franchise that always believes equal opportunities should be provided to young boys and girls. The Reliance Foundation has always maintained that and made sure both boys and girls get equal support,” she said. “The MI Junior initiative has been superb, especially with the way women’s cricket in that tournament has grown in recent times. So many girls have already been selected for the U-15 Mumbai team, and that opens the doors for them to gain more experience and hopefully represent MI in the future.

“Our aim is always to give the right direction to youngsters in their journey. Every year, be it in the IPL or WPL, MI is known for providing opportunities to less-known players, and that has become a fundamental part of this franchise. MI gave exposure to Bumrah and Hardik, and now they are top players in India. In the WPL, we introduced Saika and Kamalini, gave them opportunities, and they went on to represent India.

“Wherever tournaments that are happening in India, our scout teams are active and working hard. They provide the needed inputs, and as a coaching team, we get those players according to our needs,” she added.

Hence, MI’s sustained focus on grassroots development continues to shape the future of Indian cricket. With initiatives like ‘MI Junior’, the pathway from school cricket to the big stage looks clearer than ever.

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Former Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan has blamed the government for the fiasco that eventually led to the national team missing out on the ICC T20 World Cup which was jointly held in India and Sri Lanka in February and March this year.

“I think that was a big loss, a great miss as far as Bangladesh cricket is concerned because we, as a country, love watching our players playing World Cups, playing matches. We are a cricket loving country. So, a country like Bangladesh not participating in the World Cup was a big miss,” Shakib, 39, told reporters on the sidelines of the jersey launch of the EUT20 Belgium, at a city hotel on Wednesday.

“I think was a blunder from the government side that they took the decision not to participate in that World Cup,” added the all-rounder, who has played 71 Tests, 247 ODIs and 129 T20Is for Bangladesh, scoring 4609, 7570, and 2551 runs respectively, besides picking 246, 317 and 149 wickets across the three formats.

Meanwhile, Shakib showered praise on the IPL, saying it will give continue to produce big players for India big players for the next 50 years. “I think the pipeline is such in Indian cricket at this moment, this will go on for the next 50 years at least without having any problem. They will keep on producing players because of this tournament. They [players] might struggle in Test cricket because of this though, because everyone wants to play IPL,” he concluded.

Riyan Parag led RR to a final win over Punjab Kings by six wickets in Mullanpur on Tuesday. However, more than the win, a controversy surrounding skipper Parag became a talking point across the cricketing fraternity after cameras caught Parag, who scored 16-ball 29, vaping in the dressing room.

Renowned coach Chandrakant Pandit, who guided KKR to the IPL title in 2024, reckoned it’s an ‘unfortunate incident’ which could influence young Indian players.

Chandrakant Pandit

Parag, 24, has represented India in one ODI and nine T20Is. He has scored 117 runs in nine games so far in IPL-19.

“It is unfortunate to see such an incident from an Indian player. It is also observed that many foreign international players have been using e-cigarettes in the dressing room, which is probably allowed for an individual. But I think this could influence the young Indian players,” Pandit told mid-day on Wednesday.

Pandit, who has also guided Mumbai, Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh to Ranji Trophy titles, wants the IPL Governing Council to look into the matter strictly.

“I think the IPL Governing Council should look into this matter to ensure it is not allowed in the dressing room. It is not only harmful for the player, but also sends a wrong message to other Indian players and the younger generation in the dressing room,” he added.

Though batting icon Sachin Tendulkar’s son Arjun Tendulkar is representing Goa in domestic cricket, it is learnt that he is keen to play in the upcoming T20 Mumbai League (TML).

Arjun, 26, a left-arm pace-bowling all-rounder, has played 24 first-class matches so far. He earlier played for Mumbai Indians in the IPL and is currently part of the Lucknow Super Giants squad. Tendulkar Jr and wicketkeeper-batter Siddhant Aadhattrao, who represented Puducherry last season (2025-26), have both registered for the TML. It is learnt that the BCCI has approved their participation in the Season Four auction pool.

Arjun’s base price is Rs 2 lakh, while Aadhattrao’s is Rs 5 lakh. Tendulkar Jr was bought by Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburb for Rs 5 lakh ahead of the 2019 edition, while Aadhattrao played for the Suryakumar Yadav-led Triumph Knights Mumbai North East last season.

Former Mumbai Ranji Trophy- winning captain and wicketkeeper-batter Aditya Tare, 38, who represented Uttarakhand in 2024-25, is also in the fray, having registered for the auction with a base price of R2 lakh. The TML players’ auction will be held on May 2, while the fourth edition of the tournament begins on June 1.

Meanwhile, Aadhattrao, 34, who previously represented Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, opted to play for Pondicherry last season. However, it is learnt that he will not be available for Pondicherry in the 2026-27 domestic season and has already obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Cricket Association of Pondicherry.