Indian Premier League: Mumbai Indians Practice Gathers Pace as Bowling Coach Shane Bond Arrives
The Mumbai Indians team, including captain Rohit Sharma, West Indian all rounder Kieron Pollard and spin spearhead Harbhajan Singh, practiced under lights at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The preparation of former IPL champions Mumbai Indians for the eighth edition of the T20 tournament gathered pace on Friday as newly-recruited bowling coach Shane Bond joined the side. (Complete IPL 2015 coverage | Table | Pics | Schedule)
Bond was the bowling coach of New Zealand, who lost in the final of the World Cup to Australia, quit that post to join MI ahead of the IPL 8 season commencing on April 8. (IPL 2015 opening ceremony to be held in Kolkata on April 7)
The 39-year-old Bond's career was wrecked by injuries that prevented him from playing more than 18 Tests in which he snapped up 87 wickets with his express pace and 82 ODIs (147 wickets) between 2001 and 2010 before retiring. (KXIP begin IPL 2015 preparation with camp in Pune)
Bond had played in the IPL in 2010 for Kolkata Knight Riders who are the defending champions now. Mumbai's fleet of fast bowlers - including Karnataka's Ranji Trophy-winning duo of R Vinay Kumar and Abhimanyu Mithun - has the ideal chance to pick his brains and develop their armoury during the IPL season that extends up to May 24. (DD coach Kirsten admits he was caught off-guard last season)
The team, including captain Rohit Sharma, West Indian all rounder Kieron Pollard and spin spearhead Harbhajan Singh, practiced for the second day under lights at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. (Virat Kohli-led RCB aim to overturn last season's flop show)
Team owner Nita Ambani interacted with the players and the support staff, which includes head coach and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting and fielding coach Jonty Rhodes of South Africa. (Yuvraj, Zaheer eye national comebacks via IPL)
The team awaits the arrival of Australia's World Cup-winning team members Aaron Finch and Josh Hazlewood, along with Sri Lankan sling-arm pacer Lasith Malinga, New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson and pacer Mitchell McClenaghan, India's Ambati Rayudu, West Indian Lendl Simmons and South African Marchant de Lange.
Barring Simmons, Hazlewood and de Lange, the others are expected to arrive in time for tomorrow's practice game under lights, said a team source. The squad is set to leave for Kolkata on April 6 ahead of the opening game against title holders KKR on April 8 at the Eden Gardens.