New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner has joined Mumbai Indians in Delhi and is expected to feature in their second match of the IPL 2026 season against Delhi Capitals on April 4. Santner missed Mumbai Indians’ opening match along with England all-rounder Will Jacks, with both players requesting extended leave due to personal reasons.
Santner’s arrival provides a timely boost to Mumbai Indians, who opened their campaign with a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium. Still no update on when Jacks will join the team.
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The left-arm spinner and capable batsman adds depth to Mumbai Indians’ spin attack and strengthens their lower middle order. In his opening match IPL-2026-mi-beat-kkr-wankhede-rohit-ryan-season-opener-shardul-2888823-2026-03-29″ target=”_blank”>Mumbai were chasing 220with Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton putting on a 148 opening partnership, underscoring the strong batting fundamentals of this side.
Santner has been retained by Mumbai Indians for IPL 2026 after being acquired for Rs 2 crore ahead of the 2025 season. Last season, he played 13 matches, picking up 10 wickets at an economy rate of 7.92 while contributing 40 runs with the bat. He has previous IPL experience with Chennai Super Kings where he was part of their winning campaign in 2023.
Santner has been a consistent performer for New Zealand in limited overs cricket. In the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, he captained the team at number two, scoring 120 runs at a pace of 142.85 and taking two wickets at an economy rate of 6.60 during the tournament.
After the World Cup, Santner appeared in the first three matches of New Zealand’s T20I series against South Africa before being rested for the last two games as the team eventually lost the series 3–2.
Mumbai Indians are chasing their sixth IPL title but have not reached the final since their triumph in 2020. Santner’s inclusion is expected to boost the squad as they prepare for the crucial early stages of the tournament.
After taking on Delhi Capitals in New Delhi, Mumbai Indians will travel to Guwahati to take on Rajasthan Royals at the ACA Stadium on Tuesday. The team continues to await the arrival of Will Jacks, whose personal leave period remains unspecified.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
02 Apr 2026 22:05 IST
