3 players MI might be tempted to target in the IPL 2023 auction but shouldn't

In the immediate aftermath of an Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign in which they finished with the wooden spoon, the Mumbai Indians (MI) took some drastic steps.

They released as many as 13 players, trimming their roster and giving themselves around ₹20 crore to work with. The IPL 2023 auction, to be held on December 23, will give the five-time champions a chance to add another trophy to their cabinet. However, they might need to be wary of going after a few names.

Here are three players MI might be tempted to target in the IPL 2023 auction but shouldn't.

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#3 Sam Curran

Pakistan v England - ICC Men's T20 World Cup: Final

The claim that MI shouldn't target Sam Curran is purely based on finances, because he ticks all the other boxes.

Curran has been signed by sister franchise MI Cape Town and he would satisfy the Indians' requirements perfectly. They're fond of left-arm pacers, especially those who can bowl at the death, and the Englishman would be a significant upgrade over Daniel Sams.

However, Curran is likely to be one of the most sought-after players following his exploits at the 2022 T20 World Cup. MI would probably have to spend around 75% of their purse to sign him, and they can't afford to do that as they have other areas to address in the bowling department.

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#2 Nicholas Pooran

West Indies v England - T20 International Series Second T20I

While Curran is part of MI Cape Town, Nicholas Pooran has a connection to the Mumbai Indians via MI Emirates. However, while the West Indian is a talented T20 player, he doesn't meet the IPL franchise's requirements right now.

MI already have a left-handed spin-hitter in Tilak Varma and a wicket-keeper in Ishan Kishan. They're also likely to consider fielding overseas players like Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs and Tim David in the middle order, and Pooran would be nothing more than a glorified backup.

MI might be tempted by the prospect of having a player as destructive as Pooran in their midst, but signing him might make him go down the Glenn Maxwell and Jos Buttler route.

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#1 Chris Jordan

Australia v England - ODI Series: Game 3

Chris Jordan endured a miserable IPL 2022 campaign with the Chennai Super Kings as he leaked runs on a regular basis and got his execution all wrong. He managed to make some minor amends to his reputation towards the end of the T20 World Cup, though, by making a couple of important contributions for England.

Jordan has worked with MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene at the Southern Brave in The Hundred and could be looked at as an alternative to his friend Jofra Archer, given how Rohit Sharma and Co. struggled at the death in IPL 2022. He is a safe fielder and could reprise Kieron Pollard's catching exploits in the deep.

Jordan is unlikely to pick up an IPL contract this time around, though. His good performances have been far too sporadic, and while MI might discuss the possibility of acquiring his services, his unreliability makes him a bad option.

Quality pacers will definitely be hard to come by at the IPL 2023 auction, but Jordan is not the answer for MI.