Mumbai: Ahead of their first match of IPL-2026 against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday night, Mumbai Indians There was a great deal of reason to rejoice, but also some cause for a little concern.At the pre-match press conference at Wankhede, the head coach of MI Mahila Jayawardene World cricket’s premier fast bowler confirmed. Jaspreet Bumrah Joined their camp after returning from BCCI’s Center of Excellence in Bengaluru.The former Sri Lankan captain said that Jesse is back with the squad, he is available to play. However, Mahila revealed that New Zealand left-arm spinner and T20 captain Mitchell Santner and England all-rounder Will Jacks had requested an “extended break” from MI, which was granted.“The guys that are coming in, obviously Mitch and Jacques (Will Jacques) took a little bit of time off for personal reasons, and we were pretty happy to go with that. But they’ll be joining the team very quickly,” the head coach said. Bumrah, Jacques, and Santner were absent from MI’s mandatory training session two days before their first match at the Wankhede Stadium. After the T20 World Cup final defeat against India on 8 March, Santner captained New Zealand for the first three T20Is against South Africa at home and was given a break for the last two. Jacks, meanwhile, was part of the England squad that lost to India in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium and left for India on a chartered flight soon after. It is not yet confirmed whether Santner or Jacks have come to India. Both players are key overseas options for MI.Bumrah had been at the CoE for the past five days, but those keeping track of the developments insisted it was not because of an injury, but a routine visit aimed at monitoring his workload. With 14 wickets in eight matches at 12.42 and an economy rate of 6.21, a superb four for 15 in the final against New Zealand, and some crucial spells at the death during the business end of the 2026 T20 World Cup, Bumrah stamped his class in the tournament. MI will want the ‘King of Fast Bowlers’ to hit the ground running early in IPL-2026.Let’s hope MI’s astonishing first game record continues: WatsonMeanwhile, perennial slow starters MI will be itching to end their jinx of losing their first IPL match every year when they take on KKR in their IPL season opener, while new KKR assistant coach Shane Watson hopes to capitalize on MI’s tendency to stumble at the start of the season.“Well, let’s hope MI’s amazing record in the first game continues. Obviously, we’re playing here at the Wankhede Stadium… it’s a fortress. Mumbai Indians are very difficult to beat here. I’ve experienced it from a playing point of view and a coaching point of view, so you know we’ll definitely always have to be at our best against stMI. Match-winners across the board, so let’s hope the poor record to start the tournament continues. Ga,” Watson said at Saturday’s pre-match press conference.Fresh off enjoying an “extended break” as Mahila put it, MI’s 2026 T20 World Cup hero Bumrah, India’s T20 captain Surya Kumar YadavStar all-rounder and MI captain Hardik Pandyaand Tilak Varma will be ready to go.MI will want Surya Kumar — the 35-year-old batsman who managed just 242 runs at 136.72 at a strike rate of 30.25 in nine matches and was dismissed for a wicket in the final — to rediscover his touch and repeat that consistency in IPL-2025, when he scored 1617 runs at a strike rate of 1618 in the match. 167.91, including five fifties.The five-time champions will also be delighted with the manner in which their former captain and modern-day great is doing. Rohit Sharma Getting ready for the championship. Aiming to participate in the 2027 ODI World Cup in October-November next year, the 38-year-old will be well aware of how closely his performance will be tracked during IPL-2026. In fact, Rohit has improved his fitness tremendously in the last one year, it doesn’t look like MI will use the veteran batsman as an ‘impact player’ who will only bat and rest in the dugout for the rest of the match.Asked if Rohit’s lack of T20 game time — he has not played a T20 match for 10 months, since taking part in the second qualifier against Punjab Kings on June 1 last year — was a problem, Mahila praised the veteran batsman. “Rohit has changed. I have seen the commitment from him. He has been training his skills for a long time. That is what he has, what he can do, and I am quite satisfied with what I have seen in the practice games and in the nets. Hand speed, technique, everything. And then on top of that, he also has his own experience, playing 18 years of IPL on top of that. So I have no problem with that. But this is the game of cricket. We have to understand it and then play with it,” praised the MI head coach.It remains to be seen which of South Africa’s two left-handers will open alongside Rohit – veteran batsman Quinton de Kock or Ryan Rickelton.
