Piyush Chawla names the wrecker-in-chief for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2023

image-lee2q59vPiyush Chawla will play for MI in IPL 2023 [Source: Twitter]

With each passing day, we are inching towards the sixteenth season of the most lucrative global T20 tournament, the Indian Premier League. 

Before the showpiece event gets underway, fans and experts have started analysing the strengths and loopholes of different participating franchises. 

Speaking of the five-time champions Mumbai Indians, they still don't have a fearsome spin bowling unit that could send shivers down the opponents' spine. 

However, legendary IPL bowler Piyush Chawla believes Kumar Kartikeya could emerge as a surprise package for all teams in the tournament. 

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Chawla, who will represent MI in the IPL 2023, admitted to being impressed with Kartikeya's guile in the ongoing DY Patil T20 league, expecting him to emerge as MI's trump card this season. 

"I have seen all of them (Kartikeya, Hrithik & Raghav) in the DY Patil tournament that we are playing. To be honest, Kartikeya looks really good, he has proved himself in the Ranji Trophy over the past season as well as this one. Raghav is a bit inexperienced and will only get better as he plays more and more."

Chawla, who is amongst the highest wicket-takers in the IPL history, also explained how the willingness of the youngsters to pursue their career as either batters or seam bowlers has led to scarcity of leg spinners in the domestic level. 

"Every team wants wrist-spinners in this format because while most bowlers go for runs, wrist-spinners are the attacking options that will give you a breakthrough. I think you aren't seeing many wrist spinners because there aren't many in domestic cricket. Youngsters want to probably bat or bowl quick and very few want to become wrist spinners."

Mumbai Indians will kickstart their IPL 2023 campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 2.