The TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has already crossed the halfway point. However, Mumbai Indians have been struggling in the tournament as they are currently at 9th place in the league standings with five losses and two wins in seven matches in the 19th edition of the league. They have also been struggling with injury problems, with Mitchell Santner ruled out.
Now, MI has signed his replacement in the form of Keshav Maharaj, the South African player will join the team for a fee of INR 75 Lakh. Santner has been ruled out due to a left shoulder injury, which he suffered during MI’s last home match against Chennai Super Kings while taking a catch.
Mitchell Santner out of IPL
Mitchell Santner was soon carried off the field holding his shoulder and was seen tied to his left shoulder, which is also his bowling arm. The absence of the New Zealand captain will create a problem for MI as it would affect the balance he adds to the team with lower order batting.
Santner has played four matches this season and has taken five wickets in the tournament so far. His economy has also been below 10, which speaks volumes about his bowling abilities in different conditions. In two seasons, for the Mumbai Indians, he picked 15 wickets for the Blues in the IPL.
Shardul Thakur was sent on as a concussion substitute, sparking controversy over the legitimacy of the decision. During the post-match press conference, coach Mahela Jayawardene stated that the New Zealand captain had also experienced symptoms consistent with a possible concussion.
Keshav Maharaj can be key for Mumbai Indians
“Mumbai Indians have confirmed the signing of South African spinner Keshav Maharaj as a replacement for Mitchell Santner, who has been ruled out of IPL 2026 due to the left shoulder injury he sustained in the previous match,” Mumbai Indians said in a statement on Monday.
“Keshav, captain of the national team and the cricket franchise, in his last 30 T20 matches, has taken 31 wickets with a best of 3 for 15,” the statement read.
Has Keshav Maharaj previously played for the Mumbai franchise?
Keshav Maharaj recently competed in a T20I series against New Zealand. He has appeared in two IPL matches, representing the Rajasthan Royals in 2024. He has bowled well in India and also in white-ball cricket; His experience will benefit Mumbai Indians in the upcoming season.
This will be the first time that Kehsav Maharaj will play for the Mumbai franchise as he had not previously played for any of the other franchises owned by the Mumbai Indians group (such as MI Cape Town in SA20, MI Emirates in ILT20 or MI New York in MLC).
MI will host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who are in excellent form in the IPL, they have won four matches in a row and will look to make it another in their next match. However, Mumbai will look to turn things around after their crushing 103-run loss against CSK.
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