Nicola Carey’s inclusion in the Mumbai Indians (MI) lineup has been very crucial. While her individual performance has been excellent, it has caused a disbalance in the team. Carey has been performing well with the bat, scoring 131 runs at an average of 65.50 and a strike rate of 155.95 in the span of four matches, while also chipping in with 6 wickets at an economy of 8.46. However, these stats hide the “collateral damage” done to the rest of the order, particularly to Amelia Kerr and the momentum of the team during the powerplay.
One of the most significant issues is the displacement of Amelia Kerr. The traditional core-four setup for Mumbai Indians in the previous seasons included Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver Brunt, Shabnam Ismail and Kerr. The kiwi all-rounder operates as a middle-order batter. Mathews was left out in the first game as she was returning from a shoulder injury but her contributiona as an opener have been immense.
With Carey coming in, Kerr was pushed up the order to open, which backfired for the team management. She managed to score only 4 runs across two innings as an opener, struggling with an average of 2.0. This move robs MI of their best “crisis manager” in the middle overs, a role Carey (who bats at No. 5) cannot replicate with the same authority as that of Kerr.
The inclusion of Carey has also led to instability regarding Sciver-Brunt, who was left out of the playing XI in a crucial clash against the Gujarat Giants in the 2026 season of the WPL. While officially cited as “workload management” and a minor illness, the decision was necessitated by the need to fit an in-form Carey into the side while bringing back a fit-again Matthews. Losing Brunt, who averages over 46 for the franchise, shattered the team’s middle-order spine. Even when she returned against the UP Warriorz to score a brilliant 65, the team still struggled because the opening partnership which featured Amanjot Kaur as an experimental opener produced MI’s lowest Powerplay score of the season (32/0).
Carey is “irreplaceable” based on her 30+ scores and powerplay wickets, her presence forces MI into uncertainty. By benching a 180-strike-rate opener like Matthews or resting a 150-strike-rate anchor like Brunt, MI has traded their explosive team identity for individual consistency. They have transitioned from a team that dominates the Powerplay to one that stutters early and relies on Carey and the lower order to rescue them. This is the strategy that has already led to narrow defeats and a loss of their “ruthless” edge.
Carey has proven to be exceptional when the top order fails, but her success somehow appears to be a trap. In the match against UP Warriorz, Mumbai found themselves in deep trouble at 78/3 in 13 overs along with slow scoring rate of the openers. Carey stepped in and contributed in an 85-run partnership with Nat Sciver-Brunt off just 43 balls. Her unbeaten 32 from 20 balls helped MI to reach a respectable 161. Similarly, in her second game against Gujarat Giants, she played a vital role in a chase of 193, coming in after a middle-order to score 38 off 23 balls and play alongside Harmanpreet Kaur. These rescue acts make her appear “irreplaceable,” yet they are often necessary only because the traditional opening aggression of Hayley Matthews is missing.
It is to be noted that in the high-stakes clash against the UP Warriorz on the 17th of January, the team management took the bold and controversial step of resting Ismail. While officially categorized as “workload management” due to the compact schedule and day-match conditions, the move was tactically forced by Carey’s undeniable form. To bring back Hayley Matthews and fix the sluggish Powerplay batting, MI had to sacrifice one of the other three overseas players. Since Amelia Kerr and Nat Sciver-Brunt are considered non-negotiable for their all-round value, Ismail who is the fastest bowler in the league and the heart of MI’s aggressive defence, was the one who had to sit out. This left the bowling attack without its primary strike option, forcing the team to rely on Carey’s medium pace and domestic seamers, a gamble that fundamentally changes MI’s identity from a “pace-heavy” threat to a more defensive, containment-based unit.
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