Mumbai Indians have finally announced the replacement for injured Atharva Ankolekar. He was ruled out after failing to regain fitness from a knee problem sustained earlier in the year during the domestic season. Earlier, Akash Madhwal was spotted training with the five-time champions and that indicated that Mumbai were working on finalising the right candidate. A week later, they announced Krish Bhagat as the replacement, as Madhwal failed to impress the team management.
The 21-year-old Bhagat enters the squad at his base price of INR 30 lakh, marking a significant step up in his career after spending significant time around the team environment without being part of the main roster. His association with the franchise is not new as he has been involved in their setup across multiple seasons, including training stints and appearances in practice matches.
The young pacer has also featured in domestic cricket for Punjab, where he has accumulated experience in both first-class and List A formats. Across nine List A outings, he has picked up nine wickets, with his best spell coming late in 2025. In the same format, he has shown lower-order batting ability, highlighted by a half-century from No. 8 in a Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture.
MI confirm the development
Before this call-up, Bhagat had also been part of the Reliance side in the DY Patil T20 Cup earlier in 2026, further strengthening his exposure to competitive cricket environments linked to the franchise network.
"Krish has consistently impressed the coaching staff with his dedication, work ethic, and the quality he brings to every session and practise games that he played for Mumbai Indians," the franchise's statement read. "His commitment and development over the years, both in domestic and at Mumbai Indians practise sessions this season have earned him this well-deserved opportunity to transition into the main squad,” MI’s statement confirmed the development.
Meanwhile, Mumbai’s decision has come at a challenging point in their campaign. With just one win in four matches, they find themselves ninth of the IPL 2026 points table. Their bowling unit, in particular, has struggled to make an impact, prompting the team to explore new options as they look to revive their season.
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