Mumbai Indians’ campaign in the ongoing Women’s Premier League has been dealt a setback with keeper-batter G Kamalini sidelined for the remainder of the season after sustaining an injury. The defending champions have acted swiftly by naming young left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma as her replacement.
Kamalini had featured in all five of Mumbai’s matches this season before being ruled out. While her returns with the bat were modest, her presence behind the stumps was a key part of the team’s balance. Retained as an uncapped player ahead of the WPL 2026 mega-auction, Kamalini was expected to play a specialist wicketkeeping role in the side.
“Mumbai Indians (MI) picked Vaishnavi Sharma as a replacement for G Kamalini for the remainder of the TATA Women’s Premier League 2026. G Kamalini, the MI wicketkeeper-batter, had played 5 matches in the ongoing edition of the TATA WPL before being ruled out of the season due to an injury,” MI’s statement read.
Vaishnavi’s young but effective career so far
Vaishnavi joins the franchise for INR 30 lakh and brings recent international exposure into the squad. The 19-year-old spinner was part of India’s victorious U19 Women’s T20 World Cup team in 2025 and has already represented the senior side in five T20Is, picking up five wickets. Despite going unsold at the mega-auction, her recent performances ensured she remained firmly on the radar.
“Vaishnavi Sharma will join MI for INR 30 Lakh. The left-arm spinner, who was a member of India’s triumphant ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup squad of 2025, has played 5 T20Is for India, scalping 5 wickets from the same," it was further mentioned.
Her selection follows an impressive outing against Sri Lanka in the latest T20I series, where her control and ability to take wickets at crucial stages stood out. With Mumbai already having limited bowling options, Vaishnavi’s inclusion offers tactical flexibility, though it may come at the cost of reshuffling the playing XI.
The absence of Kamalini leaves Mumbai without a designated wicketkeeper, potentially opening the door for Rahila Firdous to step into the role. Should Vaishnavi be drafted directly into the XI, Sanskriti Gupta appears the most likely to make way.
Interestingly, both Kamalini and Vaishnavi have earned their maiden ODI call-ups for India’s upcoming white-ball tour of Australia. However, Kamalini’s availability for that tour remains uncertain, with no clarity yet on the nature or severity of her injury.