IPL 2018: Predicting the wild cards from each franchise

Surya Kumar Yadav (Mumbai Indians)

With Nitish Rana moving to the Kolkata based franchise for IPL 2018, a huge void was created in the Mumbai Indians' batting line up. Enter Surya Kumar Yadav - the local boy who was part of the MI squad for three years and makes a return to the franchise after a successful stint with the Knight Riders, where he formed the core of the batting unit along with the likes of Gambhir and Uthappa.

Filling the void left by both Rana and veteran Ambati Rayudu, Yadav fits perfectly in the MI lineup. With Rohit Sharma and Evin Lewis coming before him and the likes of Pandya brothers and Kieron Pollard following him, Yadav could play the role of the anchor and provide those vital partnerships that make the difference between win and loss.