Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has already crossed the halfway mark. However, Mumbai Indians have been struggling in the tournament as they are placed 9th in the league table with five losses and two wins from seven matches in the 19th edition of the league. They are also struggling with injury problems, as Mitchell Santner has been ruled out.
Now, MI has signed his replacement in the form of Keshav Maharaj, the South African spinner will join the team for a price of Rs 75 lakh. Santner has been ruled out due to a left shoulder injury, which he suffered while taking a catch in Mumbai’s last home match against Chennai Super Kings.
Mitchell Santner out of IPL
Mitchell Santner was soon taken off the field with his shoulder held and was seen with a bandage on his left shoulder, which is also his bowling arm. The absence of the Kiwi captain will pose a problem for MI as it will affect the balance they have created in the team with the 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 less than 10, which says a lot about his bowling skills in different conditions. In two seasons for Mumbai Indians, he has taken 15 wickets for the Blues in the IPL.
Shardul Thakur was sent as a concussion substitute, leading to controversy over the validity of the decision. During the post-match press conference, head coach Mahela Jayawardene said that the New Zealand captain had also experienced symptoms of a possible injury.
Keshav Maharaj can be important for Mumbai Indians
“Mumbai Indians have confirmed the signing of South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj as a replacement for Mitchell Santner, who has been ruled out of IPL 2026 due to the injury he suffered on his left shoulder in the previous match,” Mumbai Indians reported.
A statement on Monday.
“Captain of the national team and franchise cricket, Keshav has taken 31 wickets in his last 30 T20 matches with a best performance of 3 for 15,” the release said.
Has Keshav Maharaj played for the Mumbai franchise before?
Keshav Maharaj recently participated in the T20 series against New Zealand. He has appeared in two IPL matches representing Rajasthan Royals in 2024. He has bowled well in India and also in white-ball cricket; His experience will come in Mumbai Indians’ favor in the upcoming season.
This will be the first time that Keshav Maharaj will play for the Mumbai franchise, as he has not previously played for any other franchise owned by the Mumbai Indians group (such as MI Cape Town in the SA20, MI Emirates in the ILT20, or MI New York in the MLC).
MI will host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who have been in great form in the IPL, having won four consecutive matches, and will look to get another win in their next game. However, after the crushing defeat of 103 runs against CSK, Mumbai team will try to turn the tables.
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