3 former MI players who will be crucial for their current teams in IPL 2023

The Mumbai Indians (MI) have always been a team that believe in retaining key players over the course of their Indian Premier League (IPL) campaigns.

Captain Rohit Sharma, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, and batter Suryakumar Yadav were retained ahead of the 2022 mega-auction, while all-rounder Kieron Pollard enjoyed a successful career with the side before moving into the support staff. Others, like Ishan Kishan, have also been acquired at all costs.

Unfortunately, though, Mumbai have had to let a few names go and these players have gone on to become integral parts of other IPL sides. Here are three former MI players who will be crucial for their current teams in IPL 2023.

Honorable Mentions: Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dinesh Karthik, and Glenn Maxwell.

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#3 Quinton de Kock

Pakistan v South Africa - ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Quinton de Kock has played more games for the Mumbai Indians than for any other team in the IPL. In 43 matches, the hard-hitting batter notched up 1,329 runs at an average of 34.08 and a strike rate of 131.32.

The IPL 2022 mega-auction, though, saw De Kock being signed by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The keeper-batter had a good season for the new franchise, amassing 508 runs at an average of 36.29 and a strike rate of 148.97. He even hammered an unbeaten 140 in a game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

With KL Rahul continuing to struggle with his intent and powerplay batting, De Kock will have a lot on his shoulders in IPL 2023. His pace-hitting ability and quality glovework will be at the forefront of LSG's second successive playoff push.

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#2 Rahul Chahar

IPL Qualifier - Mumbai v Chennai

Rahul Chahar's MI career ended rather unexpectedly. Although the five-time champions tried their best to reacquire him during the IPL 2022 mega-auction, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) outbid them to snap up the youngster for ₹5.25 crore.

Chahar is the lead spinner at PBKS. In IPL 2022, he played 13 matches and scalped 14 wickets at an economy rate of 7.71. The 23-year-old will be in the spotlight once again this year as the Kings' frontline spinner, tasked with providing breakthroughs in the middle overs.

Chahar will have hopes of making an Indian comeback as well, and his prominent role at PBKS could help him in that regard.

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#1 Jos Buttler

South Africa v England - 3rd One Day International

It's easy to forget that Jos Buttler once represented MI in the IPL. The destructive keeper-batter played 24 matches for the franchise, scoring 527 runs at an average of 25.10 and a strike rate of 145.98.

Both those metrics have skyrocketed since his move to the Rajasthan Royals (RR), for whom he has 2,304 runs at an average of 46.08 and a strike rate of 150.59. In IPL 2022, he amassed a scarcely believable 863 runs as RR reached the final of the competition, where they fell to the Gujarat Titans.

Buttler is arguably RR's most important player. The weight of his runs practically carried Sanju Samson and Co. to the final last year, and he will continue to be a standout performer for the franchise this time around as well.