Mumbai Indians aggressively hunt 2 former players; KKR-SRH informed

Mumbai Indians (MI) are reportedly exploring trade options to strengthen their spin department ahead of the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction. The five-time IPL champions have contacted Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to acquire their two former players.

There has been plenty of trade movement in recent days during the IPL off-season. Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) swapped Sanju Samson and Ravindra Jadeja. Several franchises are working on trades to fine-tune their squads ahead of the players’ retention deadline, which is November 15.

Mayank Markande Likely to Join Mumbai Indians Ahead of IPL 2026 Auction

The Mumbai Indians, who recently added Shardul Thakur, are now closing in on another move. The franchise has approached Kolkata Knight Riders to bring back leg-spinner Mayank Markande, the player who first made his IPL debut at the Wankhede Stadium, according to a Times of India report.

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MI have proposed an all-cash offer, with talks in the final stages. Markande, bought by KKR for ₹30 lakh in the 2025 mega auction, did not feature in a single match in IPL 2025. The deal could soon be announced, and Markande could return to the team where his IPL journey began seven years ago.

"The five-time title winners have approached Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for leg-spinner Mayank Markande, and it’s reliably learnt that the conversations have reached the final stages. If all goes well, the trade could be announced soon," the report stated.

"It is not confirmed at this stage whether another player is involved in the deal, as insiders feel it could well be an all-cash transaction."

Mayank Markande’s Performances in the Indian Premier League

Mayank Markande began his IPL career with the Mumbai Indians in 2018. He took 15 wickets in 14 matches and received an India T20I debut within a year. However, he played just one international match and struggled to secure regular opportunities in the IPL.

The leg-spinner played for multiple franchises across the next five seasons. He featured in only 23 more IPL games but showed encouraging signs during his spells with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2023 and 2024.

Markande is currently trying to rebuild his form and confidence through domestic cricket. In the ongoing Ranji Trophy, he has taken three wickets in three matches at an economy rate of 2.96 and has also contributed 73 runs.

Mumbai Indians Target Rahul Chahar Amid Talks for Mayank Markande

Mumbai Indians are not only negotiating for Mayank Markande; they are also targeting another former spinner, Rahul Chahar. Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for ₹3.2 crore during the mega auction.

However, Chahar, who played only one match, struggled to impress the SRH management during both intra-squad games and the season. Although the leg-spinner had past success with the franchise, it is unclear whether any formal discussions with SRH ever took place.

MI already have two Indian wrist-spinners in Vignesh Puthur and Karn Sharma, with Mitchell Santner and Will Jacks filling the overseas spin roles. The former champions are hoping to boost their spin-bowling attack.

Also read: Venkatesh Iyer defends himself, lobbies for captaincy, indirectly hints at next IPL team