New Delhi: Struggling. Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 has suffered a major setback midway through, with New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to a shoulder injury. The development comes at a time when MI are already trailing in the standings, ninth with just four points from seven matches – ahead of only Lucknow Supergiants on net run rate.Santner suffered 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 dismiss Karthik Sharma off Jasprit Bumrah, but landed awkwardly, injuring his shoulder and head in the process. He was later replaced by Shardul Thakur as a replacement for the connection.
Maharaj was drafted as a replacement.
In a swift move, MI have 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, noting that Maharaj joined the franchise for a fee of Rs 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 – having played two matches for Rajasthan Royals in 2024 – MI will be hoping that his control and consistency can provide some much-needed stability to their bowling unit.
Concerns grow as MI explores the pace.
MI Head Coach Mahila Jayawardene revealed that Santner was taken for a scan after feeling dizzy after a fall. “He hit his head first, then his neck and shoulder. He felt unstable, so we sent him for a scan,” Jayawardene said after the match.Adding to their struggles due to injuries, MI now face an uphill battle to revive their campaign. They next face Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday, hoping Maharaj’s inclusion can turn around what has been a disappointing season so far.
