MI’s playing XI for IPL 2026: Rohit opens, will Shardul Thakur make XI? | Cricket News

Five times IPL Champions Mumbai Indians (MI) going in as one of the favorites to win the title in IPL 2026, especially after several of their players impressed in the T20 World Cup 2026. Last season, MI reached Qualifier 2, where they lost to Punjab Kings by five wickets.Mumbai Indians participated in the IPL 2026 auction with a purse of Rs 2.75 crore, the lowest among all ten teams. After maintaining a strong core of 20 players, they had 5 spots to fill, including an overseas slot. Their main purchase was a wicket-keeper batsman. Quinton de Kock One crore in Rs. Arjun Tendulkar was traded, Race Topple and Mujeebur Rahman were released.Here’s a look at Mumbai Indians’ strongest predicted playing XI for IPL 2026:Rohit Sharma: Rohit Sharma has been the heart and soul of Mumbai Indians, leading the franchise to five IPL titles. He is the second-highest run-scorer in IPL history with 7,046 runs from 272 matches, and will continue to open the innings with his experience and attacking style. However, his role as an impact player will be the talking point this season. Quinton de Kock (WK): After Ryan Rickelton’s contribution to Rohit last season, MI have brought back Quinton de Kock for Rs 1 crore in the IPL 2026 mini auction. Given his experience with Mumbai in 2019–2021, he was a key figure in their success, scoring 529, 503, and 297 runs in the respective seasons. He is the frontrunner to open with Rohit.Tilak Verma: After a solid T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, Tilak Verma is in superb form in T20 cricket. Given his match-winning performance against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025, he will be the key player at No.3. Surya Kumar Yadav: Suryakumar Yadav was sensational in IPL 2025, scoring 717 runs and emerging as the IPL MVP. Despite a relatively quiet T20 World Cup, MI will rely on him to bounce back strongly and anchor the middle order.Will Jacks: Will Jacks is in red form with both bat and ball in T20 cricket. He enjoyed a brilliant T20 World Cup 2026, winning four Player of the Match awards. However, depending on the match conditions and playing eleven match-ups, MI may consider replacing Sheriff Rutherford, who was bought in the form of Gujarat Titans before the mini-auction.Hardik Pandya (C): Captain Hardik Pandya will be looking to continue his strong form from recent tournaments including the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup. In IPL 2025, Hardik Pandya displayed elite all-round form, becoming the first captain in IPL history to take 5 wickets (5/36), and maintained a strike rate of 160+ with the bat. Naman Dhir: Naman Dhir was one of MI’s breakout stars in IPL 2025. Retained by RTM for Rs 5.25 crore, he scored 252 runs in 12 innings at an impressive strike rate of 182.60, establishing himself as a reliable middle-order option.Mitchell Santner: Mitchell Santner provides balance with his left-arm spin and lower-order batting. Having led his team to the T20 World Cup final, he will bring valuable experience and control in the middle overs.Deepak Chahar: Deepak Chahar will play an important role with the new ball. Known for his swing bowling, he is particularly effective in the powerplay. Last season, he took 11 wickets in 14 matches. Although he has not played much cricket after IPL 2025, his pace and swing are important in the powerplay. Jaspreet Bumrah: The irreplaceable Jasprit Bumrah continues to be MI’s bowling spearhead. Be it power play, middle overs, or death, he consistently delivers. He took 18 wickets in 12 matches last season. After a successful campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026, he returned with the same form for Mumbai. Trent Bolt: Trent Boult was phenomenal in IPL 2025, taking 22 wickets in 16 matches and becoming MI’s highest wicket-taker. His ability with the new ball makes him a key asset once again in IPL 2026. Impact Player: Shardul ThakurShardul Thakur returned to Mumbai Indians after being traded to Lucknow Supergiants for Rs 2 crore. The Mumbai-based all-rounder adds depth to the pace attack in IPL 2025 with 13 wickets in 10 matches. He could be Mumbai Indians’ first-choice impact all-rounder given his all-round performance.

MI Predicted XI for IPL 2026