Mumbai Indians are walking into the IPL 2026 auction in a way only a franchise with a championship pedigree can – with almost a full-strength XI already locked, and barely any money left.
A 20-man core, seven overseas options, and a purse of just INR 2.75 cr indicates: MI believe the side that surged back into contention in 2025 is good enough to go again.
But heavy continuity always comes with a question: is this a settled title-challenging squad, or a group that is one injury or loss of form away from looking thin in key roles?
Mumbai Indian’s player list for IPL 2026
Batters/wicketkeepers
Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton
All-rounders
Hardik Pandya, Raj Angad Bawa, Shardul Thakur, Sherfane Rutherford, Will Jacks, Corbin Bosch
Spinners
Mitchell Santner, Mayank Markande, Raghu Sharma, Allah Ghazanfar
Pacers
Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar
Structurally, it is a classic MI build: a proven leadership core, layered with high-upside overseas names and a cluster of domestic all-rounders to stretch the XI in both directions. They have clearly prioritised role redundancy in pace and middle-order hitting, even if it means carrying a couple of relatively untested names in the spin and keeping departments.
Best XI of Mumbai Indians for IPL 2026
On current resources, this looks like MI’s strongest playing XI:
Rohit Sharma
Ryan Rickelton (Overseas) (WK)
Suryakumar Yadav
Tilak Varma
Will Jacks/Sherfane Rutherford (Overseas)
Hardik Pandya
Naman Dhir
Mitchell Santner(Overseas)
Deepak Chahar
Jasprit Bumrah
Trent Boult (Overseas)
Impact Sub: Ashwani Kumar or Mayank Markande (depending on playing conditions)
This XI already looks as balanced as a T20 side can get. Batting runs convincingly to number eight with enough bowling options beyond the main core. The presence of left-handed batters in Tilak Varma (if picked), Sherfane Rutherford, Ryan Rickelton, and Mitchell Santner adds variety to the line-up. The bowling has four frontline seamers in Bumrah, Boult, Chahar, and Shardul, and a fifth in Hardik Pandya, and a proper specialist spinner in Santner, supported by Mayank Markande, who can come in as an impact substitute.
If we have to speak in terms of number or percentage, this first choice XI is roughly 95-98% complete. The structure is right, the roles are clear, and the ceiling is genuinely title-worthy.
How complete are MI- and what do they still need?
Now, there is always a scope for improvement. Also, MI have the option of buying five players in the upcoming auction. So, what can the Mumbai Indians target in the event?
First, they are locked to an overseas wicketkeeper. Ryan Rickelton is a smart pick, but if he hits a slump or misses matches, the entire balance gets scrambled, as they would have to fall back to the untested Robin Minz. MI might look for a domestic wicketkeeper-batter at the auction, to occasionally free up that overseas slot for an extra batter or bowler.
Second, the spin attack lacks the Indian X-factor. Mitchell Santner or Ghazanfar plus Markande and part-timers is good enough on most nights, but on slow pitches, they don’t yet have a home-grown spinner who can run through a side. A high-upside uncapped leggie or a mystery spinner as an impact option would lift this bowling unit from solid to lethal.
Mumbai already have a playing XI that can start IPL 2026 tomorrow and look like contenders. With one Indian keeper, one domestic spinner with potential, and maybe an Indian floater, they stop being just stacked on paper and start looking like the most structurally complete team in the league.