Virat Kohli's RCB And...? IPL 2025 Teams That Can Sign Adil Rashid As Replacement Player

RCB players in action [Source: IPLT20.com]

England's veteran spinner Adil Rashid oozed his class with the ball, as he scalped four wickets in his ten-over spell in the third ODI against India in Ahmedabad. After bamboozling Virat Kohli with a beauty, Rashid got rid of Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya, capitalising on Ahmedabad's playing conditions. 

However, interestingly, Adil Rashid was one of the unsold players in the IPL mega auction last year. As he grabs the limelight with his performance, here are three teams that might target the English spinner as an injury replacement. 

1. Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Why can RCB target Adil Rashid?

(Performance of RCB spinners in IPL)

• Royal Challengers Bengaluru are concerned by Josh Hazlewood's injury, with the right-arm pacer being doubtful for the IPL 2025. Hazlewood hasn't recovered from a side strain and it won't be surprising if he misses some part of the tournament. 
• However, RCB have a decent fast bowling department comprising Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara and the promising Rasikh Dar. So, they can somehow manage with their pace department even if Hazlewood misses due to injury. 
• On the contrary, RCB's spin department lacks wicket-taking options, as evidenced by the stats presented in the table. Although they have Suyash Sharma, the Bengaluru-based franchise might think of roping in a strike bowler to boost their spin bowling unit. In such a scenario, the RCB think tank could bring Rashid, who had a base price of INR 2 Crores, into the squad. 

---

ALSO READ

Explained: Why Will RCB's Phil Salt Be England's Potent Weapon In Champions Trophy

---

2. Mumbai Indians

Why can MI target Adil Rashid?

(Karn Sharma's IPL stats since 2023)

• Five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians suffered a major setback, with their ace spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar being ruled out of action for at least four months due to a fractured L4 vertebra. 
• Therefore, MI are searching for a quality spin bowler to replace the Afghan spin sensation in their IPL 2025 squad. Mumbai Indians have Mitchell Santner, who might lead their spin department in Ghazanfar's absence. 
• However, apart from the Kiwi star, the other options in MI's spin unit are Karn Sharma and Will Jacks, who don't show much promise as a potent unit. More importantly, their only leg spinner Karn has been nothing short of a disappointment in the tournament since 2023. So, considering his recent abysmal performances, Adil Rashid could be an option worth considering for MI. 

3. Gujarat Titans

Why can GT target Adil Rashid?

• Gujarat Titans' ace fast bowler Gerald Coetzee has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a groin injury. The South African pacer was purchased by Gujarat Titans for INR 2.40 Crores. 
• However, his career has been marred by frequent injury setbacks and with the IPL 2025 only days away, it won't be surprising if he gets sidelined from the marquee event. 
• In such a scenario, Gujarat Titans, who already have a fantastic fast bowling core of Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, might decide to add Rashid into their setup in order to boost their spin department. 
• It's worth mentioning that GT have Rashid Khan as the leader of their spin unit. However, the other options they have are Sai Kishore and Rahul Tewatia. So, they might decide to get Rashid in and strengthen their spin bowling department. 

---

ALSO READ

Players Who Have Taken Virat Kohli's Wicket Most: Who Got King's Numbers?

---