Jhulan Goswami Hails MI’s Scouting Team After WPL 2027 Auction

Mumbai Indians (MI) bowling coach and mentor Jhulan Goswami has praised the franchise's scouting team for its efforts in identifying mergingdomestic talent, highlighting how the five-time Women's Premier League (WPL) champions managed to strengthen their squad despite entering the TATA WPL 2027 auction with the lowest purse.

Mumbai Indians had just Rs 90 lakh available at the auction and completed all six of their signings with uncapped players, including Shweta Sehrawat, Disha Kasat and Latika Inamdar. Despite their limited budget, the franchise managed to secure most of its targeted players, with Goswami crediting the scouting team for its round-the-clock efforts in identifying promising cricketers.

Speaking on JioStar's 'Match Centre Live Auction Special', the former India pacer shed light on MI's auction strategy, their pursuit of Kiran Navgire and the importance of identifying players who possess not only the required skills but also the mindset to win matches.

Mumbai Indians attempted to sign Kiran Navgire, an explosive batter known for her power-hitting, but could not secure her services as the bidding progressed beyond their budget.

Reflecting on the franchise's pursuit of Navgire, Goswami acknowledged her match-winning potential and admitted that MI had anticipated strong competition for the player.

"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. 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," Goswami said.

The MI mentor also explained that the franchise had prepared alternative options before entering the auction, ensuring that missing out on one target would not derail its overall plans.

Goswami believes that successful scouting goes beyond identifying players who deliver impressive performances. According to her, consistency in domestic cricket, the ability to contribute to match-winning efforts and the right mentality are equally important factors when evaluating emerging talent.

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

The former India captain also highlighted the work put in by Mumbai Indians' scouting department, pointing out that identifying players at their base prices reflects the team's detailed preparation and understanding of domestic cricket.

"Whatever players we picked at their base price this time, they have that ability, and they have been performing quite well consistently for their state teams. 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," Goswami added.

She further explained that this extensive scouting process makes auction-day decisions easier, as the coaching and management teams enter the auction with a clear understanding of their targets and available alternatives.

Despite their financial limitations, Mumbai Indians were largely successful in executing their auction plans. Goswami revealed that the franchise managed to acquire approximately 95 to 97 per cent of the players it had targeted, with Navgire being the notable exception.

"I think, more or less, 95 to 97 per cent of the players we had targeted, we got them, except Kiran Navgire. We didn't get her. But we knew it was going to be a challenge. We didn't have the budget to go further than what we did," she said.

Goswami added that MI managed to sign almost all their targeted Indian domestic players at favourable prices, although Shweta Sehrawat was another player for whom the franchise had to pay more than its ideal price.

The MI mentor acknowledged that entering the auction with a purse of just Rs 90 lakh required careful planning, with the team having to account for different scenarios and maintain alternative options for its preferred targets.

"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. So, yeah, we are very happy with the auction. 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," Goswami said.

She concluded by emphasising that challenging circumstances often bring out the best in individuals and teams, both on and off the field.

"And when you face challenging situations, your best performance comes out, both on the cricket field and off the field," she added.

With their six uncapped signings, Mumbai Indians have placed their faith in emerging talent, relying on their scouting network to identify players capable of making an impact at the highest level. As the franchise prepares for the TATA WPL 2027 season, its auction strategy underlines the importance of planning, budget management and a long-term approach to talent identification.