3 reasons why IPL franchises need to bring back Keshav Maharaj

Keshav Maharaj exposed England's batting order in the first of the three-match ODI series against England. The spinner took 4 wickets and helped South Africa to get rid of Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Adil Rashid, and Sonny Baker at Headingley Carnegie. Maharaj developed himself as one of the finest spinners international cricket currently has.

But, shockingly, the Durban-born did not get enough opportunity to shine in the Indian Premier League. Why do IPL franchises need to bring back the experienced spinner into the tournament?

3 reasons why IPL franchises bid for Keshav Maharaj:

Quality spin bowling option: With some of the best spinners in the world well past their prime days, IPL teams may need to invest in the department to increase quality spin bowling options. In the previous season of IPL (IPL 2025), Noor Ahmad was the only spinner in the list of the top 5 most successful bowlers of the campaign; the rest were captured by the pacers, which may be a hint that IPL is lacking in terms of quality spin bowling. 

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Ability to deliver against hard hitters: By taking the wickets of Bethell and Jacks, Maharaj proved again that his spin is also effective against hard-hitting batters. Both of the English batters are young and already are the sensational names in IPL as well. If we take a look at the South African spinner's T20I stats, then the economy rate of 7.33 will definitely give a hint about his effective bowling. In 39 T20Is, he claimed 38 wickets as well. 

Recent form: The 35-year-old has been in outstanding form in his recent matches with South Africa. Before plucking 4 wickets against England, he was brilliant against Australia as well. On August 19, 2025, the bowler clinched 5 wickets during the South Africa vs. Australia ODI match. During a Test match against Zimbabwe, Keshav Maharaj picked up 4 wickets.