5 Players MI might release ahead of IPL 2026 auction

Mumbai Indians need to make some hard calls before the next season. Money, overseas slots, role overlap and recent form are the blunt instruments franchises use when deciding who to keep. Here are five MI players who look likely to be released before the IPL 2026 auction so that the team can fill in the holes present in their squad.

1. Deepak Chahar

Chahar remains a high-skill new-ball option. He played 14 matches for MI in 2025 and finished with 11 wickets, often used for early breakthroughs. But he also carries an availability risk with persistent niggles that have limited his workload in previous seasons, and MI have several seam options vying for the same overs. 

When a squad must prioritise either a younger, consistently available Indian pacer or an overseas match-winner, a veteran who commands a significant salary but offers intermittent returns becomes vulnerable. Chahar’s IPL 2025 tally of 14 games, but just 11 wickets and at a very high economy did not help the team.

2. Mujeeb-ur-Rahman

Mujeeb arrived in Mumbai as a replacement after Allah Ghazanfar’s injury, brought to bolster off-spin options. He brings a high ceiling in the T20s, but he was a late addition and not a long-term contracted core member, which reduces MI’s sunk-cost incentive to retain him if they want a permanent spin solution. 

Mujeeb’s international form and T20 pedigree keep his resale value high, but MI could prefer an Indian spinner or a full-season overseas specialist rather than keeping a replacement signing on the roster. He has also not been able to do well in the recent IPL games, so that is not going to help him either.

3. Reece Topley

Topley’s left-arm pace is a genuine asset in powerplay and death phases, and MI bought him with that in mind. Still, his IPL 2025 involvement was patchy, and he could not do the job when he was finally brought in to do the job. 

When franchises balance overseas slots and consider guaranteed availability across a full season with impactful performances, international seamer slots become precious. If MI want to use an overseas place for a frontline batter or a seam bowler with a better promise to the game as well as the team, he might not be considered.

4. Will Jacks

Will Jacks produced memorable moments for MI in a 53 and a crucial 2/14 in one game, underlining his all-round promise, but his season overall was streaky with just 233 runs and six wickets across 13 games. That’s useful depth, but it was definitely not what the team would have expected from him when they bought him at such a high price. 

If MI decide they want a specialist finisher or a dedicated middle-order batter rather than a batting allrounder who needs game-to-game freedom to settle, Jacks’ roster spot could be traded for more role-specific firepower. He's valuable on the market, which makes releasing him an auction-playable move.

5. Charith Asalanka

Asalanka was signed as a temporary replacement late in the season and provided a middle-order option for MI during the run-in. That convenience role, however, does not guarantee a retained spot if MI choose to invest in a long-term Indian middle-order batter or reallocate overseas slots. 

Asalanka’s international record gives him auction value, but in squad-construction terms, he’s a tidy candidate to release so the franchise can pursue either a specialist finisher or a young domestic bat with IPL longevity.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at BetBarter and download the BetBarter app to start betting today!