Mumbai Indians’ Mitchell Santner (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Struggling Mumbai Indians have been dealt a major blow midway through IPL 2026, with New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a shoulder injury. The development comes at a time when MI are already reeling in the table, sitting ninth with just four points from seven matches – only ahead of Lucknow Super Giants in net run rate.Santner sustained the injury during MI’s match against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium. The incident occurred when he completed a fine diving catch near the boundary to remove Kartik Sharma off Jasprit Bumrah, but landed awkwardly, injuring his shoulder and head in the process. He was later replaced by Shardul Thakur as a concussion substitute.
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Maharaj was drafted as a substitute
In a swift move, MI signed South African spin-bowling all-rounder Keshav Maharaj as Santner’s replacement for the rest of the season. The IPL confirmed the update in an official statement saying that Maharaj has joined the franchise for a fee of INR 75 lakh.An experienced left-arm spinner, Maharaj recently featured in the T20I series against New Zealand and brings valuable international experience. Although he has limited IPL exposure – he played two matches for Rajasthan Royals in 2024 – MI will be hoping that his control and consistency can provide much-needed stability to their bowling unit.
Concerns grow as MI searches for momentum
MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene revealed that Santner was taken for a scan after he experienced dizziness after a fall. “First he hit his head, then his neck and shoulder. He felt unstable, so we sent him for a scan,” Jayawardene said after the match.With injuries compounding their struggles, MI now face an uphill battle to revive their campaign. They next face Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday and will be hoping that the inclusion of Maharaj can spark a turnaround in what has been a disappointing season so far.
