With four matches to go in the league stage of IPL 2025, Punjab Kings are in a spot of bother with Glenn Maxwell. The Australian all-rounder has been ruled out of IPL with a fractured finger. While Maxwell has had a poor run with the bat in this IPL, his off-spin has added depth to PBKS’ bowling department. However, with the IPL 2025 Playoffs approaching, former India opener-turned commentator Aakash Chopra wants PBKS to raid PSL 2025 and get Michael Bracewell as a replacement.
“Michael Bracewell is your ready replacement. Go for it,” Aakash Chopra commented on Twitter.
Bracewell for Maxwell?
Glenn Maxwell has had a horrid run with the bat, averaging 8.00 in 7 innings before he was ruled out. He could only score 48 runs with four single-digit scores and a duck. His highest score was only 30. However, with the ball, Maxwell bagged four wickets with an economy rate of 8.46. With Lockie Ferguson and Maxwell both ruled out, Punjab Kings would need a replacement, especially with the playoffs in sight.
While the New Zealand all-rounder, Michael Bracewell, whom Aakash Chopra wants as Maxwell’s replacement, is also undergoing a massive slump with the bat, his off-spin will be a bonus.
Bracewell played five matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2023, scoring just 58 runs in four innings. But he bagged six wickets in five innings with an economy rate of 8.63. He could be a valuable addition.
Barcewell vs Maxwell
| Player | Mat | Runs | Avg | HS | SR | Wckts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenn Maxwell | 7 | 48 | 8 | 30 | 97.96 | 4 | 8.46 |
| Michael Bracewell | 8 | 83 | 13.83 | 44 | 150.9 | 6 | 10.27 |
Michael Bracewell in PSL 2025
However, the problem is that Bracewell is currently playing in PSL 2025 for Multan Sultans after going unsold at the IPL 2025 Auction. While the Kiwi all-rounder started well, scoring a 17-ball 44-run knock against Karachi Kings, his form has dipped.
In the next six innings, Bracewell managed 16, 3, 9, 9, 0 and 2, averaging just 13.83. With the ball, he has bagged six wickets in seven innings with an economy rate of 10.27. Before the PSL, Bracwell was in fine form in the NZ vs PAK T20I series.
But the real question is: can PBKS raid Multan Sultans like Mumbai Indians did with Corbin Bosch. The South African all-rounder ditched Peshawar Zalmi for MI as a replacement for Lizaad Williams. While Bosch apologised for his move, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) did not take it lightly. PCB banned Bosch for a year from Pakistan Super League.
While Mumbai Indians have their footprints in ILT20, SA20, and MLC apart from IPL, Punjab Kings are not the same. PBKS have only expanded to CPL apart from IPL. Hence, ditching Multan Sultans may not be an ideal choice. Furthermore, PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting is also not confident about available replacements with PSL ongoing.
“So we’ve actually been a little bit patient. Maxi’s only been a couple of days, Lockie’s has been two or three weeks. And with the PSL happening at the same time, there’s not a lot of high-quality replacements out there, to be honest. So we’ve just been patient. We’re having a look around at Indian talent as well and we’re looking at what roles we might be able to fill with some younger Indian players,” Ponting said.
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