All ten franchises are expected to submit their retention lists by mid-November, and the Mumbai Indians (MI), five-time champions, face tough decisions after a season that exposed some weaknesses.
Here’s a look at five underperforming players MI could consider releasing before the mini auction:
1) Deepak Chahar
MI splashed ₹9.25 crore on former CSK star Deepak Chahar in the IPL 2025 mega auction, hoping he would spearhead the powerplay attack. However, the injury-prone pacer failed to make an impact.
- Matches: 14
- Wickets: 11
- Average: 34.18
- Economy: 9.17
Despite playing most games, Chahar struggled to deliver the early breakthroughs MI expected, making his retention costly and questionable. Releasing him could free up a significant portion of the budget.
2) Allah Ghazanfar
The Afghan mystery spinner was purchased for ₹4.80 crore amid much hype, but injuries prevented him from playing a single match. MI turned to Mitch Santner as their first-choice spinner, making Ghazanfar surplus to requirements.
3) Reece Topley
The former RCB pacer was brought in to add depth to MI’s pace attack but featured in only one game, conceding 40 runs. With Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack, MI could release Topley to invest in a more impactful fast bowler.
4) Karn Sharma
MI’s spin department has long been a concern, and Karn Sharma was expected to provide experience and wickets. Unfortunately, he struggled in the 2025 season.
- Matches: 6
- Wickets: 7
- Average: 18.29
- Economy: 8.53
With limited impact in the middle overs, releasing Sharma would allow MI to explore wicket-taking spinners for IPL 2026.
5) Robin Minz
Acquired for ₹65 lakh, Robin Minz saw minimal opportunities, featuring in only two games with disappointing numbers:
- Runs: 6
- Strike rate: 40
MI’s batting lineup is already packed with stars, and a more reliable wicket-keeper batter could replace Minz if the franchise decides to upgrade.
