IPL 2027 mini-auction: Should MI release Hardik Pandya or other players after ninth-place finish?
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IPL 2027 mini-auction: Should MI release Hardik Pandya or other players after ninth-place finish? originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- MI finished ninth on the league table in the IPL 2026 campaign.
- Hardik Pandya is likely to leave MI captaincy.
- Will MI release Pandya and other players ahead of the IPL 2027 mini-auction?
Which players should MI release after a ninth-place finish?
Mumbai Indians had a forgettable campaign in the IPL 2026 season as they were among the first two teams to face an early elimination from the league stage.
MI won just four matches out of their 14 outings and finished 9th on the points table. They are now trophyless in their last six seasons.
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MI's result was far from expectations, as they had one of the best squads in the league this season, including a very strong Indian core, however, the Galacticos of Indian cricket failed miserably.
Big Indian stars, including captain Hardik Pandya's performance, have come under scrutiny and there have also been reports that Pandya could leave the captaincy ahead of the next season.
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Hardik Pandya
With reports emerging that Pandya is on the verge of quitting his captaincy after leading the franchise for three seasons, the all-rounder's future at the team has also come under the scanner.
Many believe that after quitting captaincy, Pandya has no reason to stay back at MI and could instead consider joining another team as a senior player as well as a possible future captain at the IPL 2027 mini-auction.
MI would also be able to add INR 16.35 crore to their purse at the mini-auction if Pandya decides to depart before the players go under the hammer.
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Trent Boult
Trent Boult has been a loyal servant to MI for many years now and has been one of their best performers over the years.
However, with Boult reaching the twilight of his career, it is safe to say that the sun has set on his illustrious cricket journey and he can no longer perform at his best.
Boult was dropped on multiple occassions in the IPL 2026 campaign as the veteran pacer remained inconsistent. MI would greatly benefit from releasing Boult, as they would then be able to add a whopping INR 12.5 crore to their purse and go for a fresh overseas pacer at the IPL 2027 mini-auction.
Mitchell Santner
Like his compatriot Boult, Santner also had an underwhelming outing, which was further cut short by an unfortunate injury. Santner played little part in the IPL 2026 campaign, which affected MI's performance.
MI are likely to go after a new all-rounder face at the IPL 2027 mini-auction and releasing Santner would free up INR 2 crore in their purse.
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