West Indies legend Kieron Pollard has retired from the Indian Premier League after an illustrious 13-year career with the five-time title-winning Mumbai Indians. Pollard made this choice as he felt he no longer fit into MI’s plans for the future, as the team entered a new phase. The all-rounder’s loyalty to the franchise is so strong that he cannot imagine playing for any other IPL team. Nevertheless, this is not the end for Pollard at MI, as the former West Indies captain will assume the role of the team’s batting coach.
Kieron Pollard IPL History with Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians signed Pollard in 2010 after being impressed by his powerful hitting and versatile skills during the 2009 Champions League T20 held in India. In the subsequent IPL auction, where his base price was US$ 200,000, Pollard joined MI for $750,000 after a competitive bidding war with Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Kolkata Knight Riders. The Caribbean all-rounder secured five IPL titles with Mumbai Indians – in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. He also captained the team in six matches, leading them to victory in four of those games.
Despite being retained by MI ahead of the 2018 season and again last year for ₹6 crore, Pollard’s subpar performance this year, with just 144 runs, led to the end of his playing stint with the team.
Only a few players in IPL history have participated in 100 or more matches for a single franchise. Pollard ranks second on the list of most appearances for a single club, having played 189 IPL matches for Mumbai Indians. Virat Kohli holds the top position with his record number for Royal Challengers Bangalore, while other notable players include Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders since 2011), Jasprit Bumrah (Mumbai Indians since 2013), and Lasith Malinga (with two tenures at Mumbai). In his 189 games, Pollard accumulated 3,412 runs, hit 16 half-centuries, and took 69 wickets, earning a reputation as one of the most accomplished all-rounders the league has ever seen.
Why Kieron pollard retired from ipl
In 2023, kieron Pollard announced his retirement from the Indian Premiere league but he will remain as batting coach for Mumbai Indians.