Didn't set aside a budget for Archer, says MI co-owner Ambani

Jofra Archer might not be fit to play in IPL 2022, but Mumbai Indians are counting on the England pacer to form formidable partnership with Jasprit Bumrah. The five-time champions secured the services of the 2019 World Cup winner for a big price of Rs 8 crore after being unable to get the other pacers who went for hefty sums of money.

"We have considered that (Archer's injury history) but as we have seen yesterday in the auction with the pacers and Jofra was the only marquee fast bowler left. We know that he is not available this year but when he is fit, we think he will form a formidable partnership with Bumrah," Mumbai Indians' co-owner Akash Ambani said at the press conference on Sunday.

Archer, who has been ruled out for a long time due to a recurring elbow injury, has not played competitive cricket since July last year.

"Before Jofra, we went for all pacers but were priced out of all of them. We planned yesterday night that we were gonna go for him and we didnot set aside a budget for him. It's just the pre-auction dynamics," he explained.

MI also splurged Rs 8.25 crore on Singapore batter Tim David as Ambani felt that Hardik Pandya's move to Gujarat Titans had prompted the move.

"Tim's a player we have been tracking since the last 2-3 years when he was playing for the Associate nations. Last year he got a experienced of the IPL playing with RCB. We always believed in his skill and he is one of the best finishers in the world. We knew Hardik was not on our team sheet so we knew that slot had to go to a foreigner."

Ambani felt that players should not feel the pressure of a price tag.

"Price tags in the auction are not the true reflection of the player's skill and we don't want the players to feel the pressure of it," he explained.

With the BCCI planning to host the entire tournament in two cities - Mumbai and Pune - Ambani felt that the players will not have any issue adjusting to the conditions as he pointed that his team have not played at home in Wankhede Stadium for the last two years.

"We have not played in Mumbai for the last two years, so the players will be excited to play there. The venues will be confirmed in a week or two, so we look forward to hearing from them," he said.

"As far as Delhi Capitals are concerned, I think we are very well balanced to play at any venue even if the matches are played in Maharashtra or just Mumbai," DC's head of talent Saba Karim said.