Mumbai sign Keshav Maharaj from South Africa as Mitchell Santner is ruled out with a shoulder injury
Mumbai Indians have signed Keshav Maharaj as the replacement for Mitchell Santner, who has been ruled out of the rest of IPL 2026 with a left-shoulder injury. The franchise confirmed the deal on Monday, four days after Santner went over the boundary cushion attempting a catch in the loss to Chennai at the Wankhede.
A second IPL stint for the senior Proteas spinner
Maharaj is one of South Africa's most experienced left-arm spinners, with 54 T20I caps and 31 wickets in his last 30 T20 matches at a best of 3 for 15. He played twice for Rajasthan Royals in 2024, picking up two wickets, and that brief stint is the only IPL cricket on his ledger. This will be his first time in a Mumbai shirt.
Where Santner had been a finisher with the bat as well as a wicket-taking option through the middle overs, Maharaj is the more pure left-arm orthodox option. He has captained South Africa across formats when called on, most recently in the Test series in Zimbabwe in 2025. Mumbai will probably use him in the same window between overs seven and 15, but more as a control bowler than a wicket-hunter.
What Santner leaves behind
Before the Wankhede injury, Santner had played four games this IPL for five wickets at an economy of 8.92. The bowling figures were not the headline. His value to Mumbai had been the way he held an end while Bumrah and Boult attacked from the other side. Mumbai's playoff path is already very thin, with two wins from seven before Wednesday's home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and the Santner injury is one more thing for Hardik Pandya's side to navigate in the final five rounds.
Maharaj is expected to fly in for the SRH game at Wankhede on April 29.
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