The former leg spinner of the Mumbai Indians side, Rahul Chahar, has recalled a moment from the first qualifier of the 2020 season of the Indian Premier League at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, where he shared the ins and outs of the bond and motivation of the Nagpur-born and how the latter handled the situation.

Mumbai Indians won the IPL clash comfortably to make their way into the final of the season. However, in the 201-run defense, Rahul didn’t enjoy a great time with the ball in the second innings. Delhi’s top three returned to the pavilion for zero runs in 1.2 overs. However, Chahar ended with figures of 0/35 in two overs as he was about to leave the field with his head down.

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“So many times, (Rohit bhai showed his leadership). There’s one incident I can never forget. It was our semifinal against Delhi. I had gone for around 30 runs and was walking with my head down. Rohit Bhai held my hand and said, ‘Walk ahead, lead the team. He said that if you had not done well in one game, the entire season has gone well.” Chahar expressed during a recent podcast, as the video went viral.

Watch: Rahul Chahar gives example of how Rohit Sharma motivated him during IPL 2020

Chahar, the 26-year-old, has featured in seven games for the national side to collect 10 wickets with the best of 3/15 in an innings during the T20Is. In the history of the 78 IPL innings, he has grabbed 75 wickets at an average of under 29 and an economy rate of 7.72.

Rahul Chahar : There’s one incident I can never forget. It was our semifinal against Delhi. I had gone for around 30 runs and was walking with my head down. Rohit Bhai held my hand and said, ‘Walk ahead, lead the team.’

Rohit Sharma- A true leader 🙌🏻

pic.twitter.com/JFbygrUmOF

— Rohan💫 (@rohann__45) September 4, 2025

“The motivation is always there from him. Not only in the field that he motivates you. There had been a time when I was sitting in the team meeting, and I was sitting between Rohit bhai and Kieron Pollard. I don’t know how to deal with it. But Rohit bhai takes charge and starts talking. He knows how to manage those situations.” Chahar added.

On the other hand, Rohit is expected to appear for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia down under. He aims to keep his fitness at its best to keep playing till the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

Former Mumbai Indians (MI) spinner Rahul Chahar opened up on Hardik Pandya taking over as captain from Rohit Sharma in IPL 2024. Hardik returned to MI after a trade from Gujarat Titans (GT) and was immediately handed the captaincy. The move drew backlash from fans, with Rohit’s removal not sitting well and Hardik facing boos in multiple games.

Chahar stressed that captaincy decisions depend on the connection between the franchise and the player. He explained that what someone contributes on the field matters more than the leadership tag. Chahar also pointed out that irrespective of what happens within the franchise, it should never show on a player’s face.

"Life goes on. Every team will have its time; there will be new captains. We can't tell anything like that. It is about their connection and who they want to make the captain. But I think it is important as to what you do for the team. Even as a player, Rohit is cool. It's all perfect unless you don't have needs from someone. I think that's what MI wanted: that you give your 100% and nothing should be seen on anyone's face. Not only MI, but any team," Chahar told Filmygyan.

Rahul Chahar on Rohit Sharma’s leadership

Rahul Chahar also reflected on his time under Rohit Sharma at MI from 2019 to 2021 during which he was part of 2 IPL title-winning squads. He praised Rohit for his cool demeanor, saying the captain always knew how to handle players differently and would back them in tough moments.

Watch the video here

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The 26-year-old also remembered the IPL 2020 Qualifier 1 against Delhi Capitals, in which he conceded 35 runs in two overs. While accepting that his performance wasn't his best, Rohit told him to make sure he led the team back and that one performance could not take away from an excellent season. Chahar noted that Rohit’s ability to motivate teammates has been central to MI’s success, which includes five IPL trophies under his captaincy.

Mumbai Indians (MI), who have won the IPL five times, had a mixed season in IPL 2025. Under captain Hardik Pandya, they started badly by losing four of their first five matches.

But after that, MI made a strong comeback. They won six matches in a row and seven out of their last nine games. Because of this, they finished fourth in the points table and reached the playoffs.

MI won the Eliminator match against Gujarat Titans (GT), but lost to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 2. For a team with many star players, not reaching the final was a big letdown.

This was also MI’s fifth season without winning the IPL title, which is a long time for such a big team. As they get ready for IPL 2026, MI will try to make their team better and fix the weak spots. In this article, we will talk about 3 players MI should try to trade for after IPL 2025.

1. Rahul Chahar – Good Spin Option

Mumbai Indians (MI) had problems with spin bowling in IPL 2025. Mitchell Santner took 10 wickets in 13 games, Karn Sharma got 7 in 6 matches, and new player Vignesh Puthur took 6 in 5 games before getting injured. But overall, the spin bowling was not strong. Rahul Chahar played only 1 match for SunRisers Hyderabad and bowled just 1 over. So SRH may not keep him next season. MI can bring him back. He played well for MI in 2019 and 2020. He took 41 wickets in 39 matches for MI. His return can fix MI’s spin problem.

2. Aaron Hardie – A Handy All-Rounder

Aaron Hardie was with Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 but did not play. MI can take this chance to bring him in. He played 84 T20 matches, scored 1,464 runs with 6 fifties, and took 41 wickets. He has also played 13 T20s for Australia. MI need another all-rounder if Hardik Pandya is not available. Hardie can fill that role. If both play together, it will help MI a lot.

3. T. Natarajan – Left-Arm Fast Bowler

MI already have good fast bowlers like Boult, Bumrah, and Deepak Chahar. But Deepak gets injured often, and Bumrah needs rest sometimes. Natarajan can be a good backup. He played only 2 games for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025 due to injury. But he is experienced. He played 63 IPL games and took 67 wickets. His yorkers are very good. If fit, he will make MI’s bowling even stronger.

Rahul Chahar had a rocky start to the season, managing to secure only two wickets across his first three appearances. His struggles were compounded by his high economy rate of 11.4 runs per over during a particularly run-heavy first half of the IPL season. At 24 years old, Chahar was expected to be the leading leg-spinner for his T20 side, yet he failed to meet expectations. Instead of stemming the flow of runs or securing key dismissals, he seemed unable to influence the game effectively.

In a particularly disappointing outing against Bangalore, Chahar bowled just one over that cost 16 runs, and similarly, he didn’t fare well against Lucknow, where he conceded runs freely. His performance in the season opener also did not inspire confidence, as his economy of 8.3 matched the game’s run rate despite him taking a wicket. Following these underwhelming performances, Chahar was dropped from the team for five matches. During this period, Punjab Kings played four games at their new home ground in Mullanpur, a venue noted for its favorable conditions for spinners.

However, despite the potential advantage, Chahar’s form was deemed too poor for selection, and he remained sidelined. In his absence, the team struggled profoundly, losing all four matches at Mullanpur. This sequence of events underscored not only Chahar’s personal challenges in regaining form but also highlighted the impact his absence had on the team’s overall strategy and performance in the tournament.

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In-depth Analysis of Rahul Chahar’s IPL 2024 Figures

Rahul Chahar made a comeback to the Punjab lineup for their match against Kolkata at Eden Gardens, and his return marked a significant improvement in his performance. The 24-year-old leg-spinner, once again, recorded figures of 1/33 over his four overs, but this time he did so with greater impact and assurance. Chahar made a crucial breakthrough by dismissing the dangerous Sunil Narine, who had scored a rapid 71 off 32 balls, effectively stalling Kolkata’s momentum.

In addition to taking a key wicket, Chahar emerged as Punjab’s most economical bowler in the match, boasting an economy rate of 8.3, which was significantly lower than Kolkata’s overall run rate by 4.8 runs. This performance brought his season totals to more respectable figures of 6/72 across 12 overs. Demonstrating reliability, Chahar has consistently completed his allocated four-over spells since his return, effectively slowing down the opposition while also contributing with wickets.

His recent performances suggest that the time away from the game might have been beneficial, allowing him to recalibrate and return with renewed focus and effectiveness. Rahul Chahar demonstrated his pivotal role in Punjab’s strategy during their away game against Chennai Super Kings, where he delivered an impressive performance, taking 2 wickets for just 16 runs. His victims included key players Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali, both crucial in CSK’s batting lineup. In the subsequent encounter against CSK, Chahar enhanced his reputation further by restricting their batting with a spell of 3/23.

He notably dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube, both integral to CSK’s resilience against spin, with his very first two deliveries of the match, dramatically reducing CSK from 69/1 to 69/3 in the span of an over. Chahar’s impact didn’t end there; he returned later in the innings to claim the wicket of Mitchell Santner, who was attempting to accelerate the score. Chahar’s consistent ability to perform well against top batters, particularly in crucial games, underscores his strategic importance to the team.

His performances have consistently made him Punjab’s most economical bowler in these matchups, indicating his effectiveness and reliability as a key player in their bowling arsenal. Rahul Chahar’s remarkable performances have come while bowling during the most challenging phases of the game. He frequently faces the daunting task of bowling to aggressive spin hitters in the middle or during the death overs. A testament to his skill and nerve came during a pivotal moment when he bowled the 19th over to MS Dhoni in Chennai, a master of the death overs, and impressively conceded only three runs, showcasing his ability to deliver under pressure.

Umesh Yadav continued his dream run with a four-wicket haul before Andre Russell returned to his brutal best to fire KKR to an easy six-wicket win over Punjab Kings at Wankhede on Friday. Umesh (4/23), coming into the season with just two games over two IPL seasons and going unsold initially at the auction, produced career-best T20 figures to help KKR dismiss Punjab for a below-par 137 in 18.2 overs. It was supposed to be a straightforward chase but Rahul Chahar raised Punjab’s hopes with a double-wicket maiden to reduce KKR to 51 for four.

However, Russell (70 not out off 31 balls) came out in the middle and changed the game with his barrage of sixes, eight in total, to make it a cakewalk in just 14.3 overs. He smashed three sixes off Odean Smith in an over that went for 30 runs. No rope is long enough when Russell is going all guns blazing and he was in that kind of zone on Friday night. The Jamaican dasher fittingly ended the game with a couple of sixes off Liam Livingstone’s friendly leg-breaks. It was KKR’s second win in three games while Punjab suffered their first loss of the season after the win over RCB.

Earlier, KKR bowlers stifled a power-laden Punjab Kings batting line-up. With heavy dew setting in later half of the games, fielding first has become a no-brainer this IPL and KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer called it right at the toss. Punjab, which had successfully chased 200 plus in their opening game, enjoyed a good powerplay that yielded 62 for 3 in six overs. Veteran pacer Umesh, who has been proving his critics wrong this season., once again provided the breakthrough early in the game, removing opposition skipper Mayank Agarwal, who was found plumb in front after missing a rather straight and full delivery in the first over of the match.

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Russell, Umesh star as Kolkata Knight Riders win their match by 6 wickets to spare

Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksa (31 off 9) who had produced a match-winning knock in the first game, looked in sensational touch at the Wankhede Stadium. In his brief stay in the middle, the top-order batter hammered three fours and as many sixes, mostly towards the mid-wicket region, leaving the spectators in awe. His breathtaking effort was perhaps the lone bright in otherwise underwhelming innings. Iyer was impressed with his leadership. He brought back Umesh in the middle overs to ensure there was no fightback from Punjab. He also employed a slip in the 15th over and was rewarded for that with the wicket of Rahul Chahar.

His new ball partner Tim Southee and KKR’s retained spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine were also too good for the Punjab batters. Livingstone (19 off 16) could convert his start while India U-19 star Raj Angad Bawa found the going tough for the second game in a row. Kagisa Rabada (25 off 16), playing his first game of the seasons, saved Punjab the blushes by getting much-needed boundaries to take the total close to 140. KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer called it right at the toss. Punjab, which had successfully chased 200 plus in their opening game, enjoyed a good powerplay that yielded 62 for 3 in six overs.

Veteran pacer Umesh, who has been proving his critics wrong this season., once again provided the breakthrough early in the game, removing opposition skipper Mayank Agarwal. It was supposed to be a straightforward chase but Rahul Chahar raised Punjab’s hopes with a double-wicket maiden to reduce KKR to 51 for four. He smashed three sixes off Odean Smith in an over that went for 30 runs. No rope is long enough when Russell is going all guns blazing and he was in that kind of zone on Friday night.