IPL 2026 Mumbai Indians (MI) Released Players List and Best Auction Strategy

With a solid core in focus, explore the best released players list for the Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Mini Auction. 

If there is a franchise in the Indian Premier League that is filled with superstars, it has to be the Mumbai Indians. Right from having the best T20 batter in IPL, Suryakumar Yadav, to the Best T20 All-rounder in the world, Hardik Pandya, to the best Pacer in the world, Jasprit Bumrah, T20 World Cup-winning Captain Rohit Sharma, to the Man of the Asia Cup 2025 final, Tilak Varma, the team is filled with superstars. 

It’s a blessing for any franchise to have such players in the squad, as they not only help balance the overall team squad, but also increase the brand value considerably. The presence of so many superstars historically is also the reason why the Mumbai Indians are one of the most successful franchises in the history of IPL. Even after their revamp in IPL 2025, the team did really well, and was able to qualify for the Playoffs. 

But how is the situation for the Mumbai Indians for IPL 2026? They built a good core during the IPL2 025 Auction, so how will they go about their retention strategy ahead of the IPL 2026 Mini Auction? Well, let’s analyse the current squad, and explore the best predicted released players list, the target players, and the retentions ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Mini Auction.  

IPL 2026 Mumbai Indians (MI) Released Players List and Best Auction Strategy

If we were to identify the gaps of the current Mumbai Indians team, there aren’t many areas that you could think of. The team is well-balanced in all areas, with competent cricketers in each department. So be it Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Ryan Rickelton, and Suryakumar Yadav in the batting department, Hardik Pandya, Will Jacks, and Naman Dhir as finishers, or Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, and Deepak Chahar in the bowling department. 

However, if we analyze the current team, MI have many redundant Overseas players, who are neither good in quality nor are first-choice players for the team. So, among the ones that the Mumbai Indians are likely to let go are Mujeeb ur Rahman, Lizaad Williams, and Reece Topley. These three bowlers do not add much value to the side, and MI already have solid players in place for this role. So, instead of retaining them, MI will be better off finding better alternatives in the Auction. 

Aside from these three players, MI may also shuffle a few uncapped players to find fresh talent in the Action. Every team does this, where they will release a few young players, and buy a few more young players from the Auction. So, among the ones that MI might let go are Satyanarayana Raju, Raghu Sharma, and Shrijith Krishnan. With such releases, MI should roughly have INR 118 Cr in the Auction kitty. 

IPL 2026 Ideal Released Players List for Mumbai Indians (MI)

1. Mujeeb ur Rahman (o)
2. Lizaad Williams (o)
3. Satyanayarana Raju
4. Reece Topley (o)
5. Raghu Sharma
6. Shrijith Krishnan (wk)

The Mumbai Indians (MI) head into the IPL 2026 Mini Auction with a near-perfect squad, and most of their core players are expected to be retained. However, one area that demands strategic attention is the pace bowling department. Currently, MI’s pace arsenal is anchored by Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult, both world-class performers. Beyond them, the squad lacks depth in fast-bowling options, making it a priority for the franchise during the upcoming auction.

To strengthen their pace attack, MI could target a mix of Indian and overseas fast bowlers. Potential picks include:

• Mohammed Shami – experienced Indian pacer with consistent IPL impact
• Mayank Yadav – emerging domestic talent with raw pace
• Matt Henry – reliable overseas option with swing and control
• Gerald Coetzee – aggressive South African quick with wicket-taking ability
• Jayden Seales – promising West Indies pacer with bounce and seam movement

With these additions, MI can build a more balanced bowling unit to complement their already formidable batting and spin resources. Meanwhile, here’s the best predicted retained players list for the Mumbai Indians (MI) for IPL 2026. 

IPL 2026 Ideal Retained Squad and Players List for Mumbai Indians (MI)

Batters

1. Bevon Jacobs (o)
2. Rohit Sharma
3. Suryakumar Yadav
4. Tilak Varma

Wicket-keepers

1. Robin Minz
2. Ryan Rickelton (o)

All-rounders

1. Arjun Tendulkar
2. Corbin Bosch (o)
3. Hardik Pandya (c)
4. Mitchell Santner (o)
5. Naman Dhir
6. Raj Bawa
7. Will Jacks (o)

Bowlers

1. Allah Ghazanfar (o)
2. Ashwani Kumar
3. Deepak Chahar
4. Jasprit Bumrah
5. Karn Sharma
6. Trent Boult (o)
7. Vignesh Puthur

So, that’s about the best retained and released players list for the Mumbai Indians (MI) for IPL 2026. Please share your thoughts on ipladdafounder@gmail.com.

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