Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: Mumbai Indians’ pacer Marco Jansen might have impressed one and all with his performance against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League, but former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris reckons that it was a bad move on the part of the franchise to pick the Proteas bowler.
Styris believes other franchises will now take notice of Jansen and with a big auction coming up next year, Mumbai might not be able to retain him. “I thought it was a phenomenal performance. I haven’t seen much of him as well. I asked Parthiv Patel, who has had a little bit of scouting experience with Marco. All around, I thought he is incredibly impressive and the reason for that is not about the simple factor that he gets bounce because he is six foot eight, which is what you expect. He touched 143mph, which is serious pace. He is going to get bounce if he has got pace. And he started, on that pitch, to bowl the slower balls as well,” said Styris on Star Sports’ show ‘Cricket Connected’.
“But in some ways, I think this is a bad move for Mumbai Indians to pick up Marco Jansen right now, because now, as we are doing, we are talking about it, everybody is talking about it. And with the possibility of a major auction next year, then I think Mumbai may have to suddenly pay up big bucks because they are not going to keep him,” he added.
Further elaborating on his point, Styris said: “So, I would suggest, to think a little bit long-term, maybe put him on the ice this year and Mumbai Indians could have swept in next year having for a long time like Lasith Malinga. Because I think he has got that skill to be a starting front-line bowler in the IPL for 10 years.”
Jansen playing his first game for Mumbai Indians returned figures of 2-28 from his four overs. Along the way, he also picked up key wickets of Glenn Maxwell and Shahbaz Ahmed.
AB de Villiers played a knock of 48 off just 27 balls with the help of four 4s and two 6s to help RCB defeat Mumbai Indians by two wickets in the tournament opener on Friday in Chennai.
Mumbai Indians will next lock horns against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) later on Tuesday. (ANI)