After winning five Indian Premier League (IPL) titles in a span of eight years (2013 to 2020), Mumbai Indians (MI) had hit a slump, as they have now played five seasons without even reaching the final. Last year, they reached Qualifier 2 but lost to eventual runners-up Punjab Kings (PBKS).
However, despite the loss, MI chose to stick with their core players and are once again considered one of the favourites to win the title in 2026. They will have star players like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah in their squad, while the addition of Quinton de Kock has also added more firepower.
With such a stacked squad, it will be tough for MI to pick a playing 11, but rather than who to play, they will have to deliberate on who will not play.
Keeping all this in mind, let’s take a look at how MI’s playing 11 could look heading into IPL 2026.
How MI’s playing 11 could shape up in IPL 2026
Top order: The top-order selection for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026 will be a little complicated. While Rohit Sharma at the opening slot and Suryakumar Yadav at number three look almost certain, there is expected to be a toss-up for the second opening position between Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton.
Both players enjoyed a successful run in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026 to make their case for the spot. However, Quinton will find himself slightly ahead in the race, given his ability to play at a higher strike rate from the start.
Middle order: MI’s middle order is sorted with Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Sherfane Rutherford coming in at numbers four, five and six, respectively.
Lower middle order: In the lower middle order, MI are likely to stick with Mitchell Santner, while they can follow England’s approach and put Will Jacks at the number eight slot, given his performance for the Three Lions from a similar position in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Bowlers: In bowling, Deepak Chahar and Jasprit Bumrah are likely to continue as the pace leaders, while a toss-up can be expected between Ashwani Kumar, who had a brilliant 2025 season with MI, and Mayank Markande, who is coming off an excellent run in the domestic circuit.
Impact players: In the Impact Player section, MI are likely to use Shardul Thakur or Naman Dhir. Shardul provides an all-round option, as he can add runs late in the innings while also delivering his full quota of four overs.
If MI find their batting in trouble, they can bring in Naman Dhir to score quick runs in the final overs.
MI probable playing 11 for IPL 2026: Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock / Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Will Jacks, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwani Kumar / Mayank Markande
IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians full squad and players’ salary
|
Players bought by MI in IPL 2026 Auction |
||||
|
Sr. No. |
Player |
Base Price |
Winning Bid |
Capped/Uncapped |
|
1 |
Quinton De Kock |
₹1,00,00,000.00 |
₹1,00,00,000.00 |
Capped |
|
2 |
Mayank Rawat |
₹30,00,000.00 |
₹30,00,000.00 |
Uncapped |
|
3 |
Atharva Ankolekar |
₹30,00,000.00 |
₹30,00,000.00 |
Uncapped |
|
4 |
Mohammad Izhar |
₹30,00,000.00 |
₹30,00,000.00 |
Uncapped |
|
5 |
Danish Malewar |
₹30,00,000.00 |
₹30,00,000.00 |
Uncapped |
|
Mumbai Indians retained players |
|||
|
Player |
Type |
Base (INR Cr) |
Sold (INR Cr) |
|
Jasprit Bumrah |
BOWL |
– |
18 |
|
Hardik Pandya |
AR |
– |
16.35 |
|
Suryakumar Yadav |
BAT |
– |
16.35 |
|
Rohit Sharma |
BAT |
– |
16.3 |
|
Trent Boult |
BOWL |
2 |
12.5 |
|
Deepak Chahar |
BOWL |
2 |
9.25 |
|
Tilak Varma |
AR |
– |
8 |
|
Naman Dhir |
AR |
0.3 |
5.25 |
|
Will Jacks |
AR |
2 |
5.25 |
|
AM Ghazanfar |
BOWL |
0.75 |
4.8 |
|
Mitchell Santner |
AR |
2 |
2 |
|
Ryan Rickelton |
BAT |
1 |
1 |
|
Robin Minz |
BAT |
0.3 |
0.65 |
|
Raj Bawa |
AR |
0.3 |
0.3 |
|
Ashwani Kumar |
BOWL |
0.3 |
0.3 |
IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians full schedule
|
Match No |
Date |
Opponent |
Venue |
Time (IST) |
|
2 |
Mar 29, 2026 |
Kolkata Knight Riders |
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
7:30 PM |
|
8 |
Apr 4, 2026 |
Delhi Capitals |
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
3:30 PM |
|
13 |
Apr 7, 2026 |
Rajasthan Royals |
Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati |
7:30 PM |
|
20 |
Apr 12, 2026 |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
7:30 PM |
IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians matches live streaming and telecast details
When will Mumbai Indians start their campaign in IPL 2026?
Mumbai Indians will start their IPL 2026 campaign on Sunday, March 29.
Who will Mumbai Indians face in their opening game of IPL 2026?
Mumbai Indians will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in their opening match of IPL 2026.
Where to watch live telecast of Mumbai Indians matches in IPL 2026 in India?
The live telecast of all IPL 2026 matches of Mumbai Indians will be available on the Star Sports Network in India.
Where to watch live streaming of Mumbai Indians matches in IPL 2026 in India?
The live streaming of all IPL 2026 matches of Mumbai Indians will be available on the JioHotstar app and website in India.
