Mumbai Indians have made a key change to their squad in IPL 2026. They have signed South African spinner Keshav Maharaj as a replacement for the injured Mitchell Santner. The experienced left-arm spinner joins the team for INR 75 lakh. This was also his base price in the auction.
Maharaj brings a lot of experience to the side. He is a regular player for South Africa across formats. The 36-year-old has played 218 T20 matches and taken 191 wickets. His economy rate is 7.12, which shows his control in the shortest format. He also recently led South Africa in a T20I series against New Zealand.
Maharaj has some IPL experience as well. He played for Rajasthan Royals in 2024. He featured in two matches and picked up two wickets. His economy rate in those games was 6.50. Mumbai Indians will hope he adds stability to their bowling attack.
Mitchell Santner ruled out of IPL 2026
Santner’s injury came during Mumbai Indians’ heavy loss to Chennai Super Kings. He got hurt while attempting a catch at deep square leg. The New Zealand all-rounder dived forward but landed awkwardly. He also hit his head on the ground during the fall.
After completing the catch, Santner looked in pain. He was holding his left shoulder and had to leave the field. Later, he was replaced by Shardul Thakur as a concussion substitute. This created some discussion among fans.
Head coach Mahela Jayawardene later explained the situation.
“Santner hit his head first, the neck and obviously, the shoulder as well. He then went for a scan. Once he got back he felt dizziness so he was lying down. Yes, the ice was there for the shoulder, but he felt that he wasn’t stable, so we took him for a scan in that situation,” Jayawardene said, speaking in the post-match press conference.
Mumbai Indians have had a poor season so far. They have won only two out of seven matches. They are currently ninth in the points table and need quick improvement.
