IPL 2018: Mumbai Indians' Kieron Pollard on donning mentor's role and spending eight years at the franchise

Mumbai: Over the last eight years, Keiron Pollard’s association with Mumbai Indians (MI) has seen him become a household name in the Maximum City.

The big-hitting all-rounder was still a fledgling name in cricketing circles when he was purchased by Mumbai Indians in 2010 IPL auctions at $750,000 (plus an undisclosed amount in a three-way tie with other franchises).

Since then, Pollard has travelled across the globe playing in various Twenty20 (T20) leagues and has earned the reputation of one of the world’s most destructive T20 players.

Pollard was the first player to play 400 T20 matches and he alongside his countrymate Dwayne Bravo celebrated the occasion by sporting the number 400 in the opening fixture of  IPL 2018.

“It is just something that Bravo and I came up with. He is the first bowler in T20 cricket to take 400 wickets, and I am the only player so far to play 400 matches. At the young age of 30, being able to play 400 matches, I think that in itself is a milestone in a format (in which) none of us thought how much we would end up playing when we started our career in cricket. That was the reason (to wear those jerseys). In the next couple of days, we are going back to original numbers,” Pollard told reporters on the sidelines after launching Adidas’ new footwear ‘AlphaBounce Beyond’.

Pollard entered the 2018 auction for the second time only to return to the Mumbai side after the franchise exercised their ‘Right to Match’ card. After eight fruitful years, Pollard, now into his ninth season in the IPL with Mumbai Indians, is one of the seniormost players in the side.

Talking to Firstpost, he said that it frightens him to see some of the guys with whom he played with are now in the coaching staff, but he seems to relish the opportunity to mentor the newcommers.

“It is an amazing experience. I was telling one guy while warming up, it is difficult to see some of the guys I have played with at the start my time, are now in the coaching set-up. I see (Lasith) Malinga now who is in our coaching set up. It frightens me a bit, but I think it is good. I look forward to mentoring the young guys and see them grow,” he said.

Pollard reminisced the time when he entered the Mumbai Indians set-up amidst the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar.

“At one point of time, I was one of that young guy coming into the team as well and being mentored by (Dwayne) Bravos, Jayasuriyas and Sachin. So now for me it is doing that giving them the best opportunity and advice for them to go out and perform,” he said, citing examples of how the senior player mentored the Pandya (Hardik and Krunal) brothers from last year.