Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra expects Yuzvendra Chahal, the IPL's all-time leading wicket taker, to return to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction. Chahal, with 205 wickets in the league, was released by the Rajasthan Royals after a season where he bagged 18 wickets but an economy rate of 9.41.
Chahal started his IPL career with MI in 2011 and became a fan favourite during his tenure with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, from 2014 to 2021. His return to MI is seen as a strategic move to bolster MI's bowling attack, which has been identified as a weak link in recent seasons. MI's batting lineup has been overreliant, and that has been problematic for them because they have had to score significantly above par to win, said Chopra.
Key players like Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav were retained by the Mumbai franchise, but it has problems in its bowling department. MI must step up their spin options, said Chopra, with only Bumrah as a reliable option for four overs. If they don’t get Chahal, he suggested they could look for Washington Sundar as well as another option.
A total of 1,574 players will be bidding for contracts at the IPL 2025 mega auction on November 24-25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. MI will be looking to secure a quality spinner like Chahal, and he could prove to be pivotal in MI's title aspirations. Chopra's insights reveal that MI are in dire need of improving their bowling if they want to reclaim their dominance in the league.
