The Mumbai Indians have officially revealed their squad strategy for the upcoming IPL 2026 season, submitting a carefully curated retention list to the BCCI ahead of the mid-December mega auction. The five-time champions have decided to keep a strong core of 20 players, leaving just five slots to fill when the bidding wars begin.
MI's Core Squad: A Blend of Stars and Strategic Acquisitions
In a significant move to build on their existing strengths, the Mumbai Indians franchise has retained a powerful group of established international stars and promising domestic talent. The retention list, confirmed on the November 15 deadline, ensures that the team's leadership and firepower remain intact.
The list of retained players is headlined by captain Hardik Pandya, legendary batsman Rohit Sharma, the dynamic Suryakumar Yadav, and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. This Indian core is complemented by exciting young batter Tilak Varma.
MI has also strengthened its roster through strategic trades, bringing in proven performers from other franchises. Sherfane Rutherford joins from the Gujarat Titans, Shardul Thakur arrives from Lucknow Super Giants, and spinner Mayank Markande has been traded from Kolkata Knight Riders.
The overseas contingent remains formidable with the retention of New Zealand's Trent Boult, England's Will Jacks, and fellow Kiwi Mitchell Santner. The rest of the retained squad includes Ryan Rickleton, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa, Raghu Sharma, Corbin Bosch, Naman Dhir, Allah Ghazanfar, and Ashwani Kumar.
Notable Releases and the Arjun Tendulkar Trade
As part of their squad restructuring, the Mumbai Indians have released nine players who will now enter the auction pool, available for other teams to bid on.
The most talked-about departure is Arjun Tendulkar, son of cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, who has been traded to the Lucknow Super Giants. This move ends his stint with the franchise where his father is a beloved icon.
Other notable releases include experienced spinner Karn Sharma and Afghan mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Overseas pace options Reece Topley and Lizaad Williams have also been let go, along with Bevon Jacobs, Krishnan Shrijith, Satyanarayana Raju, and Vignesh Puthur.
Purse Position and Auction Strategy
Following these retention decisions, the Mumbai Indians find themselves working with a limited budget for the upcoming auction. The franchise has ₹2.75 crore remaining in their purse with five slots left to fill – four domestic and one overseas.
This constrained financial position suggests MI will need to be precise and strategic in their auction approach. The team management will likely target specific roles to complete their squad, potentially looking for a backup wicket-keeper, a death-over bowling specialist, or an Indian all-rounder to add depth.
The mega auction scheduled for mid-December 2025 will be crucial for the Mumbai Indians to finalize their squad for IPL 2026. With a balanced core already in place featuring world-class pace attack led by Bumrah and Boult, explosive batting with Rohit, Suryakumar, and Tilak, and versatile all-round options, the foundation looks strong for another championship challenge.
