IPL 2019: 3 all-rounders that Mumbai Indians could target at the auction

The Mumbai Indians finished fifth last season and had an average campaign, with no memorable wins. Their batting order took some time to settle; it was only after Rohit Sharma demoted himself to No. 4 that they managed to put runs on the board steadily.

Kieron Pollard was a big disappointment, and his replacements, Ben Cutting and JP Duminy, were terribly underutilized.

The Mumbai Indians have three of India's key players for the World Cup - Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah. While Rohit is the captain, Bumrah and Pandya can be rested for a few games if they are assured of qualification or have been knocked out of the tournament.

Despite having some of the best all-rounders in the league, none of them managed to produce the goods last season. Accordingly, here are three all-rounders that they can target at the upcoming auction.

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#3 Corey Anderson

Corey Anderson can fit into the Mumbai Indians perfectly as he prefers batting in the No. 5 slot which, was an uncertain spot for them last year.

Anderson has been part of the Mumbai camp before, and played a few memorable knocks for them. In the 15 matches he played for the Mumbai Indians, the Kiwi scored 379 runs at a healthy average of 32.58 and a good strike rate of 138.33.

Corey Anderson

Anderson has had a good time with the New Zealand national team, scoring 622 runs in 22 matches while averaging 34.55 striking at 159.07. He can also bowl when needed, but that would mostly be a backup option.

Anderson has the knack of exploding with the willow at the death and breaking partnerships with the ball, and the Mumbai Indians will not hesitate to secure his services for this season.

#2 Sam Curran

Sam Curran is sure to become hot property at this IPL auction. Most teams will have their eyes on him, and the Mumbai Indians will certainly be one of the contenders to get his signature.

MI have made it a habit of buying youngsters and turning them into great performers by the end of the season. There's no reason why they shouldn't be able to do that with Curran too.

He burst on to the scene with his all-round performances against India in the Test series, and has now made his way into the limited overs team too.

Sam Curran

Curran's left-arm angle while bowling can make him a differential, while his powerful hitting can add valuable runs to the team total - something that can save MI from losing close matches, which they did a lot last season.

This young, bustling youngster is a strike bowler who can pick up wickets at the right time, and is excellent with the new ball. No one will be surprised if the Mumbai Indians are prepared to shell out large amounts of money for him.

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#1 Axar Patel

Axar Patel can attract huge bids at the auction since he is probably the best Indian player on sale. The all-rounder was one of the linchpins of the Kings XI Punjab, and it was a surprise to see him being released by them.

Mumbai Indians had a weak spin bowling department last season; Mayank Markande's flourishing start which promised a lot fizzled out towards the end. While Krunal Pandya bowled well, they need someone more focused on his bowling than batting, and Axar fits the bill perfectly.

He is a very experienced cricketer and can take some load off Krunal, who can then concentrate more on his batting. Axar's experience can also help young spinners like Rahul Chahar and Mayank Markande in honing their skills.

He can use the bat very well, and is a powerful hitter. With more than enough money in their purse, Mumbai Indians could well trump all other teams in getting Axar's signature.