Aakash Chopra has recently expressed significant concern regarding Mayank Markande's form during IPL 2026, following a string of poor performances for Mumbai Indians (MI). After Markande conceded 40 runs in just 2 overs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Chopra stated that the leg-spinner "hasn't done that good a job so far" and suggested he might have played his last game for the month.
He joined other experts like Ravichandran Ashwin in questioning MI's decision to use Markande specifically against "spin hitters" like Rajat Patidar, describing the move as "very, very average". Chopra has publicly called for MI to consider alternative Indian spin options like Raghu Sharma or overseas choices like Allah Ghazanfar, noting that Markande's high economy rate (reaching 20.00 in recent outings) is a major liability. In the previous season, Chopra was actually a supporter of Markande, expressing surprise when Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) benched him for Vijayakanth Viyaskanth. He claimed at the time that "Mayank Markande bowls better than him".
While Chopra initially praised Markande's potential as a "bamboozling" young leg-spinner, his recent commentary reflects a "problem of plenty" for MI, where Markande's lack of consistency is making it hard for him to cement a spot in the XI.
Mayank Markande’s disappointing performance so far
Mayank Markande's performance in IPL 2026 has drawn criticism following a difficult start with Mumbai Indians. After being traded back to his original franchise for ₹30 lakh, he has struggled with consistency and control in the matches played so far this season. Following Mumbai Indians' loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, experts like Ravichandran Ashwin criticized the decision to use Markande during a crucial phase against Rajat Patidar, a known dominant player of spin.
Former cricketer Irfan Pathan noted that while Markande was expected to bolster the spin department, his contributions have not yet yielded any positive impact for the team. While he had a standout 2023 season (12 wickets, 7.89 economy), his control began to slip in 2024, where his economy rate ballooned to 11.77. This trend appears to have continued into the current 2026 season.
