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Mumbai Indians Sign Keshav Maharaj as Santner’s IPL 2026 Replacement

Mumbai Indians have signed South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj as a replacement for Mitchell Santner, who is ruled out of IPL 2026 due to a shoulder injury. Maharaj is an experienced spinner known for his control and ability to build pressure. He has taken 31 wickets in his last 30 T20 matches and has captained both South Africa and franchise teams. Santner played four matches for MI this season, taking five wickets.

Key Points: MI Sign Keshav Maharaj for IPL 2026 | Santner Ruled Out

  • Mumbai Indians sign Keshav Maharaj for IPL 2026
  • Mitchell Santner ruled out with left shoulder injury
  • Maharaj is a seasoned South African left-arm spinner
  • Santner took 5 wickets in 4 matches this season
2 min read

IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians sign Keshav Maharaj as replacement for Mitchell Santner

Mumbai Indians sign South African spinner Keshav Maharaj as replacement for injured Mitchell Santner in IPL 2026. Maharaj brings experience and sharp control.

"His hunger, his craft, and his experience make him exactly the kind of cricketer this team thrives on - Mumbai Indians"

Mumbai, April 27

Five-time winner Mumbai Indians have signed South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj as a replacement for Mitchell Santner, who has been ruled out of the ongoing 19th edition of the Indian Premier League 2026, due to the injury he sustained on his left shoulder in the previous match.

"Mumbai Indians have confirmed the signing of South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj as a replacement for Mitchell Santner, who has been ruled out of IPL 2026, due to the injury he sustained on his left shoulder in the previous match," the Mumbai Indians informed in a statement on Monday.

Mumbai Indians wish Santner a full recovery and look forward to seeing him back in action soon, the statement said.

Maharaj is one of South Africa's most experienced spinners across all formats. The left-arm bowler with sharp control and the ability to build sustained pressure has been a consistent presence in the Proteas setup since his international debut in 2016. He was selected for South Africa's 2021 T20 World Cup squad without having played a single T20 international, debuted as captain against Sri Lanka, and took a wicket with his very first delivery in the format

A captain for the national team and in franchise cricket, Keshav, in his last 30 T20 matches, has taken 31 wickets with a best of 3 for 15," the release said.

Mumbai Indians welcomed Keshav to the Blue and Gold brigade, claiming his hunger, his craft, and his experience make him exactly the kind of cricketer this team thrives on, adding to his values, discipline, and ability to operate under pressure.

Santner has played four matches for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026 so far, claiming five wickets for 125 runs.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Finally some sense! MI needed a proper spinner who can bowl in the powerplay and middle overs. Maharaj's economy is excellent. Let's see if he can turn things around for Mumbai this season. 🤞
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Vikram M
Maharaj is a smart operator but I'm skeptical. Indian pitches in IPL are very different from South African tracks. Let's hope his variations work on these flat decks. Also, Santner's absence is a big blow - he was bowling well.
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Ananya R
Interesting to see how MI uses him. With Bumrah and Co., Maharaj could be a great foil. That dream debut as captain against Sri Lanka taking a wicket first ball - what a story! 🇮🇳❤️ Hope he brings similar magic to Wankhede.
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Rohit P
Not sure about this one. Maharaj is good but we needed an explosive batter more than a spinner. Our batting lineup is fragile this season. Management should have gone for a proper all-rounder instead. Just my two cents.
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Kavya N
MI always had an eye for quality overseas spinners - from Malinga to Boult and now Maharaj. His record in T20s is impressive, especially those 31 wickets in last 30 matches. But will he get consistent chances? That's the real question. 😅
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James A

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