Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Struggling Mumbai Indians have been dealt a significant blow in the middle of IPL 2026, 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 reeling in the standings, placed ninth with just four points from seven matches — only ahead of Lucknow Super Giants on net run rate.Santner sustained the injury during MI’s match against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium. The incident occurred while he completed a fine diving catch near the boundary to dismiss Kartik Sharma off Jasprit Bumrah, but landed awkwardly, hurting his shoulder and head in the process. He was later replaced by Shardul Thakur as a concussion substitute.
Maharaj drafted in as replacement
In a swift move, MI have signed South African spin-bowling all-rounder Keshav Maharaj as Santner’s replacement for the remainder of the season. The IPL confirmed the update in an official statement, noting that Maharaj joined the franchise for a fee of INR 75 lakh.An experienced left-arm spinner, Maharaj recently featured in a 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 hope his control and consistency can provide some much-needed stability to their bowling unit.
Concerns grow as MI search for momentum
MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene revealed that Santner was taken for scans after experiencing dizziness following the fall. “He hit his head first, then the neck and shoulder. He felt unstable, so we sent him for a scan,” Jayawardene said after the match.With injuries compounding their struggles, MI now face an uphill battle to revive their campaign. They will next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday, hoping the inclusion of Maharaj can spark a turnaround in what has been a disappointing season so far.
