Irfan Pathan believes so Mayank Markande He will have a key role for Mumbai Indians (MI) during the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The former India leg spinner made his name playing for Mumbai Indians. He was traded to Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction.
Pathan said that if Markande plays his role in T, it will put Mumbai Indians in a strong position and there will be no weaknesses in their team.
“Mayank Markande has been brought back. He started his career here, but the question is whether he will bring the same impact in the matches. It is heard that he has improved his bowling a lot. He looks like a complete spinner now, and his ball is rotating well. If he plays his role effectively, there will be no weaknesses in this Mumbai Indians team,” Pathan said while speaking in a video on his YouTube channel.
“For an Indian spinner, the way you play your part in the middle overs is also an important factor, because Allah Ghazanfar bowls up front. If you have good spinners bowling from both ends in the middle overs, I think that is the biggest factor. Mumbai Indians have lagged a bit in this aspect in recent times. If Mayank Markande does his job this year, it will add more to the Mumbai Indians team. There will be strength. This is a very important factor.”
Last year, he didn't even take a wicket per match: Irfan Pathan on Deepak Chahar
Pathan expressed concern about Deepak Chahar's form and fitness. Last year he made his debut for Mumbai Indians. However, he could take only 11 wickets in 14 matches and conceded runs at an economy rate of 9.17. The former India all-rounder said that if Chahar can get wickets with the new ball, it will be a good sign for the five-time champions.
“Deepak Chahar's fitness is always being monitored closely as he has had fitness issues in the past. The other point of concern is his performances. Last year he did not even take a wicket per match and his economy rate was around nine. Mumbai Indians will expect a better performance from him this time. He has been brought in as a wicket-taker with the new ball and he will have to play that role consistently. If he does that, it becomes much easier for the captain to manage the game, Pathan said.
Pathan mentioned that the combination of Trent Boult and Chahar could be important with the new ball, as both of them are known to take wickets inside the power play. However, he reiterated how important Chahar's performances are going to be in the coming season.
“With Trent Boult bowling from one end and Deepak Chahar from the other, both taking wickets with the new ball, the team can use other bowlers as per requirement. Deepak Chahar can bowl three consecutive overs in the powerplay, finishing it strongly. So, staying in form and taking wickets is very important for him. However, he does not play a lot of cricket in between IPL seasons, and it will be a big challenge for Deepak Chahar,” he concluded.
Get every cricket update! Follow us: :
Leave a Reply