IPL 2026: Mahela Jayawardene backs Shardul Thakur, Ghazanfar impact

Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene expressed satisfaction with the franchise’s outcomes at the IPL 2026 auction, stating that MI had managed to strengthen its core while adding smart, role-specific depth through trade-ins.

With a mix of familiar faces, impactful new recruits and emerging talent, the auction, he felt, allowed the five-time champions to reinforce their hallmark balance, adaptability and long-term planning.Explaining the thought process behind the moves, Jayawardene underlined the importance of clarity and structure in squad building. “We’re very pleased with the balance we’ve been able to build after the auction.

Shardul (Thakur) gives us a different structure with his versatility, experience and all-round depth. Him being a Mumbai boy … It's a great story from where he started and then became part of Mumbai Indians.

Sherfane (Rutherford) is someone we’ve rated highly for a long time, and adding an overseas left-handed power-hitter gives us the flexibility we always look for. We’ve also brought back players like Mayank (Markande), who not only understand the MI philosophy but have also previously made an impact here.”

“That continuity and clarity of role is something we value deeply, even if players sometimes go away in big auctions, we always keep an eye on their progress and bring them back when the structure allows.”Jayawardene reiterated that Mumbai Indians continue to be driven by role clarity, adaptability and tactical intelligence — principles that have underpinned the franchise’s success over the years — while also singling out AM Ghazanfar as a potential game-changer with his mystery spin.“What we’ve always prided ourselves on at MI is flexibility with clear purpose, players understanding different roles and adapting to game situations, especially through the middle overs. We’re also really excited to finally have Allah Ghazanfar available in our set-up. We’ve always known his talent and what a mystery spinner brings to our attack. He’s progressed really well after his injury, and we’re looking forward to helping him evolve within the MI environment.

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