Prior to the upcoming season, Kieron Pollard, the standout hitter for the Mumbai Indians, made an official announcement that he was leaving the Indian Premier League (IPL). The all-rounder joined the team in 2010, and throughout his time there, the franchise has enjoyed a record-breaking five IPL championships.
In an emotional tweet, 35-year-old Pollard announced his departure from the extremely successful IPL franchise after 13 years.
“It hasn’t been the easiest decision to make as I intend to keep playing for a few more years, but following discussions with the Mumbai Indians, I have decided to call time on my IPL career. I cannot see myself playing against MI either. ‘Once an MI always an MI’” - from the tweet.
“I am immensely proud, honoured and blessed to have represented the biggest and most successful team in the IPL for the past 13 seasons. It was always an aspiration to play for this fantastic team and although I will miss the buzz of the IPL you get as a player, I take comfort in knowing that I have been fortunate enough to have played with some of the best players in the world in front of our passionate fans."
“This is not an emotional goodbye to MI however as I have agreed to take up the role of batting coach in the IPL as well as play with the MI emirates. This next chapter of my career is genuinely exciting and allows me to transition myself too from playing cricket to coaching,” Pollard said on confirming his new role.