5 players that Mumbai Indians (MI) can target in the IPL 2026 mini-auction

Table of Contents

Mumbai Indians enter the IPL 2026 auction with a lean purse of ₹2.75 crore and five slots to fill, including one overseas spot, after retaining a strong core led by Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah. Scheduled for December 16 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, the event features over 1,300 registered players vying for 77 spots across franchises. MI’s strategy focuses on targeted reinforcements in finishing power and bowling depth to bolster their title push.​

Mumbai could strategically bid for these five players to address key gaps in their squad, blending experience, domestic promise, and T20 expertise.

The South African powerhouse offers middle-order firepower with a proven IPL strike rate above 139 across 132 matches, including 136 sixes and sharp fielding. Released by Lucknow Super Giants after a 2025 season of 153 runs in 11 games, his death-overs finishing suits MI’s aggressive batting needs at a potential base price under ₹2 crore.​

This Indian pacer brings raw T20 wicket-taking ability, claiming 40 scalps in 36 outings at an economy of 8.32, with a best of 3/15. Listed at a modest ₹40 lakh base price for the auction, Asif represents cost-effective pace depth for MI’s depleted overseas-limited attack.​

Also READ: Aakash Chopra predicts the 5 most expensive overseas players in the upcoming IPL 2026 Auction

A familiar face for MI fans, the Roorkee speedster exploded in 2023 with 14 wickets, including a record 5/5 against Lucknow Super Giants. Released by Rajasthan Royals after form dips, his powerplay and death-over skills make him an affordable uncapped buyback at around ₹30 lakh to reclaim his MI role.​

Australia’s death-over specialist impressed with CSK in 2025 at ₹2 crore, taking wickets every 17.5 balls in IPL with sharp yorkers on slower decks. If available post-retention shifts, his variations fill MI’s overseas pace void perfectly, though bidding wars loom given his T20 pedigree across 11 IPL games.​

The young Kerala left-arm wrist-spinner debuted brightly for MI in 2025, snaring 3/32 against CSK despite limited prior T20 exposure. Released in squad tweaks, his mystery spin at a low base price offers high-upside domestic rotation, aligning with MI’s youth investment ethos.

Also READ: Dale Steyn gives no-nonsense view on Steve Smith’s IPL 2026 Auction chances