Mumbai Indians could be missing two key overseas players for the start of IPL 2026, with Mitchell Santner and Will Jacks likely to miss the opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders. According to an ESPN Cricinfo report, the duo along with MI pace ace Jasprit Bumrah were absent from the team’s mandatory training session at the Wankhede Stadium just days before the clash.
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Santner, who recently led New Zealand to the T20 World Cup final, was involved in the five-match T20I series against South Africa. He played in the first three matches before being rested in the last two, with New Zealand eventually losing the series 3–2. Though he is expected to join the MI commando soon, his arrival in India is yet to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, Jacks remains unavailable due to personal reasons and may take longer to join the team. The England all-rounder was one of the standout players at the T20 World Cup and played a key role in their run to the semi-finals, where they lost to India at the Wankhede.
The absence of both players could affect MI’s balance at the start of the tournament. Santner offers control and experience with the ball, while Jacks adds firepower in the lower middle order along with useful overs. With limited like-for-like options, MI may need to change their opening game combination.
WHO CAN REPLACE SANTNER AND WILL JACKS?
Mumbai Indians have several, if not many, options to cover potential absentees.
For Santner, MI could turn to Allah Ghazanfar, a young Afghan spinner who offers a similar skill set and could provide a check in the middle-order.
Sherfane Rutherford is a strong choice for Jacks. The all-rounder, who joined MI from Gujarat Titans, brings power-hitting ability and can slot into the lower middle-order role.
Santner had a solid World T20 campaign, scoring 120 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of over 140, while also contributing with the ball. Jacks, on the other hand, played a key role for England with both bat and ball, winning four Player of the Match awards and picking up nine wickets during the tournament.
With their IPL 2026 campaign set to begin at home, MI will be hoping for clarity on the duo’s availability soon. For now, the focus will be on adjusting the playing XI and making sure it starts the season strong despite the early setback.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
28 March 2026 14:45 IST
