Big Blow To MI, Two Overseas Stars To Miss IPL 2026 Opener vs KKR

Mitchell Santner and Will Jacks will most likely miss the Mumbai Indians' season opener against the three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders, meaning the team may be without two important overseas players at the beginning of the upcoming edition of the IPL 2026. The two, along with MI pace star Jasprit Bumrah, missed the team's mandatory training session at Wankhede Stadium a few days prior to the match, according to a report by ESPN Cricinfo.,Santner participated in a five-match T20 International series against South Africa after guiding New Zealand to the T20 World Cup final. New Zealand ultimately lost the series 3-2 after he played in the first three games before being rested for the final two.

Although his arrival in India has not yet been announced, he is anticipated to join the MI squad shortly.,Jacks, on the other hand, may take longer to join the team because he is still unavailable for personal reasons. One of the best players in the T20 World Cup, the England all-rounder was crucial to their advancement to the semi-finals, where they were defeated by India at Wankhede.,Early in the tournament, MI's balance may be affected by the absence of both players. While Jacks contributes useful overs and firepower in the lower middle order, Santner provides control and expertise with the ball.

MI might need to switch up their lineup for the first game due to the limited like-for-like choices.,To make up for the possible absences, the Mumbai Indians have a few, if not many, options. Allah Ghazanfar, a young spinner from Afghanistan who possesses a similar skill set and might bring control in the middle overs, could be MI's choice to replace Santner. Sherfane Rutherford can be a good alternative to Jacks.

The power-hitting all-rounder, who came to MI from the Gujarat Titans, can play in the lower middle order.,Santner had a strong T20 World Cup campaign, contributing with the ball and hitting 120 runs in eight games with a strike rate of 140. Jacks, on the other hand, was instrumental for England with the bat and the ball, taking nine wickets and winning four Player of the Match honours during the competition.,With their IPL 2026 campaign scheduled to start at home, MI will be hoping for an update on the pair's availability shortly. For the time being, the emphasis will be on changing the starting lineup and making sure they have a solid start to the season in spite of the early setback.,Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Sports, Cricket and around the world.