IPL 9: Mumbai Indians set to entertain further after roping in Martin Guptill in place of injured Lendl Simmons

New Delhi: Martin Guptill would be feeling he deserved every bit of his call to the Mumbai Indians squad after replacing an injured Lendl Simmons for the rest of the Indian Premier League season 9.

In the February 6 auctions, it was a strange affair after none of the franchises went for the big-hitting batsman, who has been a revelation for New Zealand. Back then, Guptill must have felt hard one by the snub, but his presence now will surely light up the IPL even more.

Guptill has been amongst the runs in limited-overs cricket for quite sometime now and has showcased his brutality with the bat on several occassions this year.

His experience and positive approach will be a big bonus for IPL defending champions, who would have needed his solidity upfront alongside Rohit Sharma.

With Rohit looking to play through the innings till the end, Guptill will have the license to go all out from the start. The Kiwi star will be hoping to entertain the fans and make his mark in the cash-rich tournament.

Guptill will be featuring in his first IPL, and given his form, the call to replace Simmons could not have come at a better time.

His addition gives Mumbai bragging right about some big hitters in the squad including Corey Anderson and Jos Buttler.

The Kiwi international was recently named as captain of Guyana Amazon Warriors for the 2016 edition of the Caribbean Premier League.