The IPL 2026 auction is quite near, and every single person attracting to Mumbai Indians has the same question: who will MI buy? The Mumbai Indians will surely fill the existing gaps but hopefully will do so through their revamped method under the current leadership team with smart, high-impact signings being the target.
As the franchise compiles its list of MI target players, Mumbaikars’ preference will be for experienced and reliable players. The 5-times IPL champions are planning to form a team for the record-breaking sixth IPL trophy in 2026.
Now, we present to you the five MI IPL 2026 auction targets who are ideal choices and most likely to fit in the remaining budget of INR 2.75 crores.
Rahul Chahar
MI has released two spin bowlers one each Vignesh Puthur and Karn Sharma. They want to possess one more spin bowler with Allah Ghazanfar and Mayank Markande. This position can be occupied by Rahul Chahar, who will make good use of his loop and drift at Wankhede, along with the subtle use of his variations in length and pace. Chahar was associated with the team from 2019 to 2022 and was part of two IPL-winning squads; he last played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2025 and was not in the squad during IPL 2026.
Simarjeet Singh
MI’s bowling attack appears to be very strong, but management would still like to add one more Indian pace bowler to the roster besides Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur. Chahar mostly has concerns regarding his fitness, and Thakur might not be very consistent. Simarjeet Singh could give variety and depth, hence making him a smart addition to who will MI buy.
He was very much in the background in 2025, having played just four matches and obtained two wickets, but he is a fast bowler with great potential, famed for being able to find the right lengths, a skill that MI can use to strengthen their pace attack. He would surely be one of the names in the who will MI buy list.
Delano Potgieter
MI has marked Delano Potgieter as one of its potential players for the upcoming IPL 2026 auction. The 23-year-old All-round player is already well acquainted with the Mumbai Indians brand, as he played for MI Cape Town in the SA20 and is now part of the MI New York (the team in Major League Cricket) roster.
As a versatile player, he contributes on both fronts – a left-handed batsman and a right-arm fast bowler who takes wickets. Speaking of his T20 career, he has taken 39 wickets with an average of about 16 runs. Due to his engagement with MI across franchises and his high-impact skill set, Potgieter is likely to be included in the list of MI IPL 2026 auction targets.
Luvnith Sisodia
Mumbai Indians might want to buy an Indian wicketkeeper for their squad after letting go of KL Shrijith. This is where Luvnith Sisodia comes into play. The fashionable, power-hitting top-order batter who can also don the gloves might just be the perfect candidate for MI to buy. The team could acquire him for a low cost and then have wicketkeeper-batsmen Ryan Rickelton and Robin Minz besides him.
Prithvi Shaw .
MI will need an alternate opener besides Ryan Rickelton to ensure that the team gets off to an explosive start. Prithvi Shaw is one the Indian players who will fit well and make a comeback to the IPL. Shaw has been showing great form with the bat for Maharashtra in the last few months, and his impact as an opening batsman is not unknown in the cricketing circles.
With his experience and capacity for huge innings, Shaw could be the aggression that the top order of MI needs. Although Shaw was not sold in the IPL 2025 auction, if we consider his recent performances in Maharashtra, we might witness the Thane-born player making his way into the MI target players.