Mumbai Indians (MI) have received a timely boost ahead of IPL 2026, but it comes with a few complications. Jasprit Bumrah is back with the squad and could feature in the season opener against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). At the same time, Will Jacks and Mitchell Santner are confirmed absentees, forcing MI to take the field without their strongest XII possible. Both Jacks and Santner were supposed to start. Meanwhile, there are multiple reports on Bumrah’s availability too.
Bumrah back in MI camp, but final call on Sunday
There is a bit of contrast in reports around Bumrah, but the overall news is encouraging for MI. As per Cricbuzz, Bumrah has already linked up with the squad in Mumbai after a short stint at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The visit was part of workload monitoring rather than any major concern. He has bowled at full intensity in recent days and is understood to be ready.
However, ESPNcricinfo suggests that while Bumrah is expected to be available, there is still no official confirmation on his participation in the KKR game. For MI, even the possibility of Bumrah playing changes everything. Last season, Bumrah (183 wickets) went past Sri Lankan great Lasith Malinga to become MI’s highest wicket-taker in IPL history.
In IPL 2025, they lost three of their first four matches in his absence and were forced to play catch-up through the tournament. They would not want a repeat of that start. Also, MI have never won their first game of an IPL season since 2012.
If Bumrah plays, MI walk in with their biggest match-winner leading the attack. If not, the pressure falls back on Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult to hold things together. They need to strike in the powerplay.
Jacks and Santner unavailable, MI forced to reshuffle
Unlike Bumrah, there is no confusion around Will Jacks and Mitchell Santner. Both will miss the opening game. Santner has just finished international duties with New Zealand and is expected to join the squad shortly. Jacks is unavailable due to personal reasons and could take longer to arrive. These two absences affect MI in different ways.
Jacks was expected to play the finisher’s role at No. 7. For many, he was perhaps the ‘Player of the Tournament’ at the recent T20 World Cup 2026, managing four POTM awards for England. In his absence, Sherfane Rutherford is the most straightforward replacement. He offers similar power and can take down pace in the death overs. MI may not lose much in terms of intent there.
Santner’s absence, though, leaves a gap in balance. He gives MI control in the middle overs and adds batting depth. Without him, MI could look at Allah Ghazanfar if they want a wicket-taking spin option. However, with that, they would have fewer batting options. To work with that, MI can give a debut cap to Shardul Thakur, who can add up as a pace bowling option and can tonk some blows too.
Likely combination and early call for MI
Rohit Sharma is set to open, with Ryan Rickelton likely to get the nod over Quinton de Kock based on training sessions. Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya form the core of the batting. Rutherford should slot in for Jacks, while the bowling combination hinges on Bumrah’s availability. If he plays, MI look settled. If he does not, the attack lacks bite, with Ashwani Kumar being an option.
Strongest Mumbai Indians Playing XII vs KKR
| S. No. | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma |
| 2 | Ryan Rickelton ✈️ (wk) |
| 3 | Suryakumar Yadav |
| 4 | Tilak Varma |
| 5 | Hardik Pandya (C) |
| 6 | Naman Dhir |
| 7 | Sherfane Rutherford ✈️ |
| 8 | Shardul Thakur |
| 9 | Deepak Chahar |
| 10 | Jasprit Bumrah/Ashwani Kumar |
| 11 | Trent Boult ✈️ |
| 12 (Impact Sub) | Allah Ghazanfar ✈️ |
Full Mumbai Indians (MI) squad for IPL 2026
Allah Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Markande (traded), Mitchell Santner, Naman Dhir, Raghu Sharma, Raj Angad Bawa, Robin Minz, Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Shardul Thakur (traded), Sherfane Rutherford (traded), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Verma, Trent Boult, Will Jacks, Danish Malewar (INR 30 lakh), Quinton de Kock (INR 1 Cr), Atharva Ankolekar (INR 30 lakh), Mayank Rawat (INR 30 lakh), Mohammad Izhar (INR 30 lakh)
