NEW DELHI : India cricketer Hanuma Vihari feels that it is going to be a big task for Mumbai Indians to replace the T20 legend Kieron Pollard, who announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League on Tuesday.
The five-time champions Mumbai Indians released Pollard, their most senior player, to end a 13-year playing career that began in 2010 when they signed the West Indies player for an undisclosed sum via a tie-breaker that broke the deadlock between four teams.
While Pollard said he would be calling time as a player in the IPL, his relationship with Mumbai is not ending: he has joined them as a batting coach and will play for MI Emirates, owned by the same group, in the ILT20 in the UAE.
"It is a big loss for them (Mumbai Indians). These are big shoes to fill, for a player of the stature of Kieron Pollard. You can't really replace the legend he is, in the T20 format. The services he has done for Mumbai Indians, not just as a finisher, but as a fielder and as a leader as well, " said Vihari on JioCinema.
"Five titles with a single team and he has played for one team throughout his career. So that shows the love he had for Mumbai and what Mumbai meant to him. I think it is going to be a big task replacing him. One good thing is that he is still in the dugout giving his guidance, " he added.
The right-handed batter feels Australia cricketer Tim David could step up and do the role which Kieron Pollard was doing for Mumbai.
"One thing Mumbai Indians were quite smart about last year was that they picked Tim David as a future replacement for Kieron Pollard. I feel this year Tim David could step up and do the role which Kieron Pollard was doing, " he added.
Meanwhile, five-time champions Mumbai Indians released as many as 13 players, including West Indies giant Kieron Pollard, who announced retirement earlier in the day.
Apart from Pollard, Mumbai Indians released twelve other players. Riley Meredith, Daniel Sams, Fabian Allen and Tymal Mills were the overseas names left out while Jaydev Unadkat and M Ashwin were among their eight domestic exclusions.