3 MI players who should be released ahead of the IPL 2026 auction ft. Deepak Chahar

The Mumbai Indians (MI) had a decent campaign in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). They overcame another slow start to finish in the playoff spots and make it to Qualifier 2, where they lost to the Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Mumbai had to go through a number of squad changes during IPL 2025, with injuries and unavailable players disrupting their combination. They signed a host of temporary replacements ahead of the playoffs who can't be retained, apart from a few signings earlier in the season who can be.

MI's bench strength wasn't great during the previous campaign, and they'll be keen on tuning their squad. Releasing a few players who don't bring bang for their buck will certainly be on the cards for a franchise that is known for their practicality.

MI's squad for IPL 2025 (including replacements): Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Bevan-John Jacobs, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton, Krishnan Shrijith, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Raj Angad Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Allah Ghazanfar, Karn Sharma, Mitchell Santner, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, Satyanarayana Raju, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Raghu Sharma, Jonny Bairstow (temp), Charith Asalanka (temp), Richard Gleeson (temp).

On that note, here are three MI players who should be released ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.

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#3 Deepak Chahar

2025 IPL - Mumbai Indians v Delhi Capitals - Source: Getty

Deepak Chahar picked up only 11 wickets in the 14 matches he played for MI in IPL 2025. His economy rate was an unimpressive 9.17, and he offered nothing outside the first two overs of the powerplay. The 33-year-old's injury history stayed away for a while, but it caught up to the franchise towards the end of their campaign.

Chahar was bought for more than ₹9 crore at the auction, and despite the fact that he offers a bit of batting depth, he certainly isn't worth such a huge amount. The fast-bowling all-rounder isn't reliable at any stage of the innings and can't be trusted to get through an entire IPL season without breaking down as well.

MI will be able to strengthen their side significantly if they release Chahar, potentially buying him back at a price that doesn't force him to be a part of the playing XII.

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#2 Reece Topley

Surrey v Middlesex - Vitality Blast Men - Source: Getty

Reece Topley played just one match for MI in IPL 2025 at the business end of the tournament. His three overs went for 40 runs, greatly affecting the team's chances of securing their sixth IPL title.

Topley is bound to be released ahead of the next season. He doesn't offer much at any stage of the innings, and even though he was bought for his base price, there are definitely better alternatives on the market. That's true even for a mini-auction, where the Englishman might not find any takers.

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#1 Mujeeb Ur Rahman

New Zealand & Afghanistan Net Sessions - ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 - Source: Getty

Mujeeb Ur Rahman was signed as a replacement for his countryman Allah Ghazanfar in IPL 2025. He featured in just one game, with his two overs going for 28 runs.

With Ghazanfar likely to be available, MI have no reason to persist with Mujeeb, who isn't even a regular in white-ball cricket for Afghanistan anymore. His inconsistency and inability to put revs on the ball have made him quite hittable in the shortest format.

Even though his price tag isn't an issue, MI should ideally release Mujeeb and try to scout some quality domestic spin options.