MI sign Punjab player as injury replacement ahead of MI vs PBKS clash in IPL 2026

Mumbai Indians (MI), during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, haven’t performed to expectations with only one victory in four encounters as they find themselves in ninth position in terms of points among the ten franchises. After starting the campaign with a victory against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), they experienced three successive defeats. 

Mumbai, under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, hopes for a better performance in their next fixture as they prepare themselves for the upcoming clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 16 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. 

MI signs Krish Bhagat as injured Atharva Ankolekar’s replacement

MI have signed Krish Bhagat, the 21-year-old Punjab seamer, as the replacement of injured Atharva Ankolekar for a base price of INR 30 lakh. Ankolekar, the 25-year-old, failed to recover in time from the knee injury that he picked up during the recent Ranji Trophy 2025/26 season.

Bhagat has trailed with the franchise for the last couple of years and also represented the Reliance team in the DY Patil T20 Cup in 2026 and has been a support bowler for the five-time champions since the pre-season camp of the IPL 2026.

For Punjab, Bhagat has been part of seven first-class games and nine List A clashes, having bagged nine wickets in the domestic 50-over format for the best figures of 3/33 that he celebrated in December last year. He also has the batting ability, having clubbed 51 runs at number eight during the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Uttarakhand.

See Also: Huge Trouble for CSK as star player ruled out of IPL 2026 due to injury

“Krish has consistently impressed the coaching staff with his dedication, work ethic, and the quality he brings to every session and practice games that he played for the Mumbai Indians.” The Mumbai Indians’ statement expressed.

“His commitment and development over the years, both in domestic and at Mumbai Indians practice sessions this season, have earned him this well-deserved opportunity to transition into the main squad.” It revealed.

MI prepare for strong comeback against PBKS in IPL 2026

Mumbai’s bowling has been a massive concern in this edition as their premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, has gone wicketless in the first four encounters, and the rest of the bowling looks unprepared for the situation. Trent Boult has missed the sharpness with the new ball inside the power play to pick early wickets.

Their spin department hasn’t worked much with Mitchell Santner, struggling to find the right line and length, while Allah Ghazanfar continues his irregular campaign.

Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur have not been able to do much with the ball either. They will have to win their next match against a strong Punjab Kings, who are in third position of the points table with three wins in four clashes, apart from the washed-out result against KKR.