Mumbai Indians sign Keshav Maharaj as replacement for Mitchell Santner

New Zealand allrounder Mitchell Santner has been ruled out of the IPL due to injury, prompting Mumbai Indians to sign South Africa’s left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj as his replacement.

Santner, who took five wickets in four matches this season, sustained the injury while attempting a catch near the boundary against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium. He was later seen in the dressing room with an ice pack on his shoulder, and the team used a concussion substitute during the match.

Meanwhile, Maharaj, who has played 54 T20 Internationals for South Africa, has featured in only two IPL matches so far—both for Rajasthan Royals in 2024. However, he brings extensive experience from various franchise leagues around the world, including the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Vitality Blast, and SA20.

In the most recent SA20 season, Maharaj led Pretoria Capitals to the final and picked up 12 wickets in 12 matches. Overall, he has taken 191 wickets in 208 T20 innings, maintaining an impressive economy rate of 7.12.

Apart from Maharaj, Mumbai’s spin department includes AM Ghazanfar, Mayank Markande, Raghu Sharma, and allrounder Will Jacks.

However, Mumbai Indians have struggled this season, winning only two of their seven matches and currently sitting ninth on the points table. Their next match is against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium.