MI got 95-97 per cent of targeted players despite lowest purse at WPL auction Jhulan

     Mumbai, Oct 29 (PTI) Mumbai Indians managed to secure 95-97 per cent of their targeted players despite entering the Women's Premier League auction with the lowest purse of Rs 90 lakh, said bowling coach and mentor Jhulan Goswami while crediting the franchise's scouting network for identifying emerging domestic talent.

     MI completed their squad with all six picks being uncapped players, including Shweta Sehrawat, Disha Kasat and Latika Inamdar, after missing out on power-hitter Kiran Navgire, who was among their key targets.

     Speaking on JioStar's 'Match Centre Live Auction Special', Jhulan said the franchise had stretched its budget to try and secure Navgire but had to settle for other options.

     "We tried our best and went as far as we could for Kiran Navgire, but unfortunately, we didn't get her. And that's how the auction dynamics work. She is an impactful player. So, we definitely expected quite a few teams to go after her," she said.

     "But at the same time, we had other options. Thankfully, we got most of the players we wanted. So, yeah, the auction was very good, and we are all very happy."

     Jhulan said the franchise had to plan carefully with limited funds and was pleased with the players it managed to acquire, with the exception of Navgire and Sehrawat, who went beyond their expectations.

     "We didn't have the budget to go further than what we did. But all the other Indian domestic players that we had targeted, we more or less got all of them at their best prices, except Shweta Sehrawat," she said.

     Jhulan also underlined the importance of scouting in identifying players who can deliver consistently in domestic cricket and possess the right mindset to succeed at the highest level.

     "Our job as a coach is to look at young players who score runs on a regular basis in domestic cricket, take wickets, bat at a good strike rate, and win matches for their team. The most important thing is: do they have that winning mindset?" she said.

     "Because performances can be up and down, but you must have that mindset with which you can take the team ahead and make it win."

     The former India captain said the ability of several players to secure contracts at their base prices reflected the work put in by the scouting team, which tracks domestic and international matches throughout the year.

     "Picking several players at base prices shows how hard our scouting team is working. And scouting is a round-the-clock process since you have to follow matches, irrespective of whether they are happening in India or outside India," she said.

     "And because of them, it becomes easy for us when we come to the auction table, knowing who our targets are."

     Jhulan added that the financial constraints had forced MI to prepare multiple options ahead of the auction, but the team was satisfied with the outcome.

     "We came into this auction with the lowest purse of Rs 90 lakhs, so we had to plan and prepare, keeping that challenge and accordingly different options in mind. And when you face challenging situations, your best performance comes out, both on the cricket field and off the field," she said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)