Ahead of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Mumbai Indians (MI) have suffered a major setback. Afghanistan’s young spin sensation, Allah Ghazanfar, has been ruled out of the upcoming cricketing action due to a major injury. The 18-year-old youngster who has played 1 Test, 11 ODIs, and 19 T20Is for his national side will be unable to play in the Champions Trophy 2025 and IPL in the coming season. The developments have sent shockwaves in the cricketing community, raising concerns for MI, who now have a major task of finding a suitable replacement for Ghazanfar.
A major fracture ruled Allah Ghazanfar out of action
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced that Ghazanfar suffered a fracture in his L4 vertebra during the recent tour of Zimbabwe. The injury is a significant setback for the young cricketer, potentially sidelining him for an extended period as he undergoes recovery and rehabilitation.
“Afghanistan’s young spin-bowling sensation, AM Ghazanfar, has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a fracture in the L4 vertebra, specifically in the left pars interarticular. He sustained the injury during Afghanistan’s recently held tour Zimbabwe and will be sidelined for a minimum of four months and will remain under treatment during this period. Nangyal Kharoti, who was part of the reserves pool, has been promoted to the main squad for the Champions Trophy. Additionally, Mujeeb Ur Rahman continues to miss the ODI action, until he has fully recovered,” a statement from ACB read.
Ghazanfar entered the IPL mega auctions with a base price of INR 75 Lakhs. However, MI bought the spin wizard for a staggering INR 4.80 crore. The development now makes MI’s spin attack vulnerable to attack from rival batting units during the tournament. A suitable replacement for Ghazanfar is thus crucial to the team’s prospects in the upcoming IPL season. Given Ghazanfar’s latest injury, here are three potential replacements for him in the MI squad.
3 potential replacements for Allah Ghazanfar in the MI squad
(1) Roston Chase:
MI can replace Ghazanfar with someone who can be a handy option with the bat, apart from adding depth to the team’s spin unit. In this regard, Roston Chase is a prominent name who has gone unsold in the IPL auction and has proven his worth playing for the West Indies and several franchises he has represented during his career. The 32-year-old can add league cricket experience to the team as he has clinched 73 wickets in 110 T20 matches he has played so far.
Also Read: Afghanistan’s spin sensation Allah Ghazanfar ruled out of Champions Trophy 2025; replacement announced
(2) Keshav Maharaj:
Keshav Maharaj is another notable player who has gone unsold in the IPL auction. The seasoned South African spinner was in action recently as the skipper of Durban Super Giants in the SA20 2025 and carved out some impressive performances with the bowl, even though his team could not perform well in the tournament. The 35-year-old is a dynamic off-spinner with experience to adapt according to the needs of the game and the team he is playing for. His record in T20s is also impressive. The Proteas spin maestro has taken 162 wickets in 191 T20 matches he has played so far.
(3) Adil Rashid:
Adil Rashid is a regular starter for England in the T20I format and is well-versed in bowling in sub-continent conditions and getting his team breakthroughs during crucial junctures of the match. His experience and versatility with the bowl can thus be of great value to MI given they chose him as a replacement for Ghazanfar.
The 36-year-old has featured in several league tournaments such as the ILT20, SA20, The Hundred Men’s Competition, and Big Bash League (BBL). He has also been a part of Punjab Super Kings (PBKS) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the past. However, his association with the two IPL franchises has not been long.
