Mumbai Indians is a dream franchise for the players who aspire to play in the IPL, but it’s such a quality team that some of the players, even after earning a Mumbai Indians contract, don’t get too many playing opportunities at the franchise and get released with very few games under their belt.
Today we will talk about 5 International players who got to play just one game during their stint at Mumbai Indians –
#1 Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal was a part of the Mumbai Indians set-up for 3 years, but he was a rookie leg-spinner at that time with no international experience at all and hence, he was down the pecking order as Mumbai already had a couple of other experienced spinners in their squad.
Chahal eventually was handed his debut at MI, but he couldn’t get any wicket in the single appearance that he made and he never played for MI again.
#2 Stuart Binny
Stuart Binny is generally associated with Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore as those are the two teams he has mostly represented in the IPL, but before playing for Rajasthan Royals, Binny was at Mumbai Indians for a brief period of time.
However, Binny couldn’t quite make an impact with either bat or ball in the one game that he played for Mumbai. While he scored just 8 runs off 5 balls with the bat, he gave away 9 runs in the solitary over that he bowled without taking any wicket.
#3 Andre Nel
Andre Nel featured in the IPL only in its first season in 2008 and he was a part of the Mumbai Indians squad. However, he was not one of Mumbai’s first choice overseas fast bowlers and was given just one game by the management in the entire season.
It was a game against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and Nel proved to be very expensive with the ball. He was so expensive that he didn’t even bowl his full quota. In the three overs that Nel bowled, he gave away 31 runs and got just one wicket. It turned out to be Nel’s first and final appearance for Mumbai.
#4 Mohammad Ashraful
Mumbai Indians was the only franchise which gave Mohammad Ashraful an IPL contract. However, the former Bangladeshi batsman had to remain on the bench for most of the time he was at MI.
Ashraful eventually got a crack at MI after a long wait on the bench, but he failed to seal a spot for himself as he was sent back to the pavilion cheaply at the score of just 2 runs. Ashraful didn’t get a contract extension from MI following that season.
#5 Jacob Oram
After having a decent run at Chennai Super Kings, the former New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram moved to Mumbai Indians, but he couldn’t do anything of significance for Mumbai during his time there.
Oram was included in the playing XI of MI for one game where he didn’t get the chance to bat and remained wicketless with the ball.
