The five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) are set to start their IPL 2026 campaign against the three times winner Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, March 29, 2026.
While Mumbai Indians boast a formidable core and one of the most balanced squads on paper, a last-minute twist has emerged: key overseas all-rounders Mitchell Santner and Will Jacks are yet to link up with the team for the IPL 2026 season.
Why are Mitchell Santner, Will Jacks missing?
Mitchell Santner, the experienced left-arm spinner and handy lower-order batter, and Will Jacks, the explosive middle-order hitter and part-time off-spinner, add immense balance to Mumbai Indians’ side. However, MI will be without Santner and Jacks for their IPL 2026 opening game against KKR.
On the eve of MI’s season opener against KKR, head coach Mahela Jayawardene provided an update on the arrival of Santner and Jacks for IPL 2026 season.
“Mitch and Jacksy both asked for a slightly extended time for personal reasons. And we were quite happy to go with that. But they’ll join the team pretty soon,” Jayawardene was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“I’m not sure [when they will join] but pretty soon. It’s just that we don’t want to divulge what is not fair for either party. But being honest, we feel that it’s fine with us with who we have got,” he added.
The absence of Santner and Jacks has created an interesting selection puzzle for Hardik Pandya and Mahela Jayawardene led MI team management.
Mumbai Indians Predicted XI For IPL 2026 Clash vs KKR
Here is a realistic predicted playing XI of Mumbai Indians for IPL 2026 match against KKR without Mitchell Santner, Will Jacks:
1. Rohit Sharma – The Hitman will open and set to provide explosive starts. As a senior player, Rohit remains central to MI’s batting plans.
2. Quinton de Kock (wk) – The South African southpaw brings experience and left-hand batting to counter any early spin or swing. De Kock’s return to MI adds familiarity from past title-winning campaigns.
3. Tilak Varma – The elegant left-hander anchors the top order and accelerates when needed. Tilak has been a consistent performer for MI in last few seasons.
4. Suryakumar Yadav – The 360-degree batter is set to bat at No. 4 for MI. SKY’s ability to dominate any bowling attack makes him the game’s biggest match-winner.
5. Sherfane Rutherford (Overseas) – With Will Jacks unavailable, the hard-hitting West Indies batter slots into the middle order for power and finishing ability.
6. Hardik Pandya (c) – Captain and all-rounder. Hardik provides seam bowling option and aggressive batting lower down. His leadership will be key in navigating the early-season challenge for MI.
7. Naman Dhir – The young Indian all-rounder offers stability, off-spin, and lower-order hitting. Naman is all set to steps up as a reliable domestic option for MI.
8. Deepak Chahar – New-ball swing specialist. Deepak will be crucial for early breakthroughs at Wankhede.
9. Trent Boult (Overseas) – The left-arm pacer excels with the new ball and provides death-over variations.
10. Jasprit Bumrah – The undisputed king of T20 bowling. Bumrah’s presence in any phase (powerplay, middle, or death) gives MI a massive edge over opposition.
11. Corbin Bosch or Allah Ghazanfar (Overseas/Spin option) – Bosch adds all-round utility while Ghazanfar could provide mystery spin if conditions assist.
Impact Player/Sub Options: Shardul Thakur (pace and batting depth), Mayank Markande (leg-spin), or Ashwani Kumar (left-arm pace)
Mumbai Indians Squad For IPL 2026
Full squad: Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya (captain), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Naman Dhir, Corbin Bosch, Mitchell Santner, Sherfane Rutherford, Shardul Thakur, Mayank Markande, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa, Atharva Ankolekar, Mayank Rawat, Raghu Sharma, Danish Malewar, Mohammed Salahuddin Izhar, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar
