Overview:
In IPL 2025, Deepak Chahar took 11 wickets from 14 matches. Replacing him with the 35-year-old Shami wouldn’t be right.
Aakash Chopra has urged the Mumbai Indians to keep all the players for IPL 2026, stressing that no player should be released before the mini auction.
He admitted that releasing Deepak Chahar might not be the wisest call, as suitable alternatives could be hard to find at the IPL 2026 auction. He pointed out that the Mumbai Indians might eye Mohammad Shami in case SRH release him, yet he didn’t fully support the idea of trading Chahar for Shami.
“I don’t think the Mumbai Indians should release any player. It’s unlikely they’ll find quality Indian pacers in the mini auction. They might have a chance with Shami, but is he really an upgrade over Deepak Chahar? They could end up being the quietest team at the auction this time,” he said on the 2 Sloggers YouTube channel.
In IPL 2025, Deepak Chahar took 11 wickets from 14 matches. Replacing him with the 35-year-old Shami wouldn’t be right.
Aakash Chopra urged the Punjab Kings to retain Marcus Stoinis for the upcoming IPL 2026 auction and utilise his all-round abilities more effectively. He further suggested that the side needs to fine-tune its bowling department.
“Punjab Kings must retain Stoinis as they can definitely utilise him better. He’s a quality player, and finding someone to replace him won’t be easy. It wouldn’t make sense to let him go. However, the team does need to improve its bowling attack. There’s a bit too much reliance on Chahal and Arshdeep. I’d also suggest holding on to players like Lockie Ferguson and Maxwell,” he said.