With the IPL 2025 auction looming large, teams are already trying to find the right balance in their squads. Star pacer Umran Malik will reportedly be released by Sunrisers Hyderabad next season and with the 24-year-old no short of admirers, he will be on the radar of many IPL teams in the upcoming auction.
Let us take a look at 3 IPL teams that can sign Umran Malik for the upcoming 2025 IPL season.
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians had a campaign to forget last season finishing bottom of the points table. They would be keen to put last season’s disappointment behind them and start afresh with some new purchases in the auction. Umran Malik is reportedly among the players on Indians’ shopping list for the next auction.
Jasprit Bumrah was the only shining light in the Mumbai Indians pace bowling department last season and the Indian ace struggled to form a partnership with any other fast bowler. With Malik likely to be available next season, the five-time IPL champions will likely pounce on the opportunity to get hold of the youngster.
With Malik’s young age, he would also be one for the future and can develop his game bowling alongside veteran Bumrah.
Royal Challengers Banglore
Royal Challengers Banglore has been home to some of the brilliant batters over the years. Likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, and more have illuminated the Chinnaswamy pitch for many years. However same cannot be said about their bowling as they always seem to lack quality bowlers in their team.
They signed Yash Dayal for big money last season but he failed to do justice with his hefty price tag. In the upcoming auction, RCB again will be looking to purchase some top-quality bowlers and Umran Malik could well be an option. According to various reports, the Jammu and Kashmir pacer is on the ‘wishlist’ of several teams including the RCB.
The move also makes sense for Malik as he would almost be guaranteed game time in Bangalore given their struggles in the bowling department and with RCB being one of the most famous IPL teams all around the world, he would definitely rub his hands to play for the team if the opportunity presented itself.
Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans were the other team to struggle for pace bowling last season. Their first-choice speedster Mohammad Shami missed the entire 2024 due to an ankle injury and Mohit Sharma failed to live up to the expectations.
This leaves Titans in desperate need of a pace bowler and Umran Malik could well fix their problems for the next season.
If Malik does end up in the auction, the Titans would be among many teams looking to get hold of him, and with bowlers like Shami and Ashish Nehra (Titans bowling coach) around him, Malik would definitely develop his game and take his career another step towards the right direction.
Read More: What is Umran Malik’s Fastest Bowl?
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
