Suresh Raina orders Mumbai Indians to release 'Star All-Rounder' ahead of IPL 2026 auction

Former India cricketer Suresh Raina has made bold recommendations to the Mumbai Indians (MI) on their strategy ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction, scheduled to take place in December. Raina said that the franchise should release all-rounder Will Jacks and spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

All IPL franchises are set to submit their list of retained players by the November 15 deadline, ahead of the mini-auction next month. As teams prepare to reshape their squads for the new season, the Mumbai Indians are likely to face some difficult decisions regarding which players to retain and which to release.

Rohit Sharma Has Won a Lot of Trophies for Them - Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina said that the Mumbai Indians are likely to release Will Jacks and Mujeeb ur Rahman ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction while retaining key senior players. Raina stated that the franchise should retain Rohit Sharma, citing his leadership and success with the team.

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"They should hold him (Rohit Sharma), he has won a lot of trophies for them. Deepak Chahar is just in, it depends on what options they have, so they can either release him or retain him, but they might not get players at the auction, so I think they should retain him. They should retain him (Trent Boult), he is a gun player, the advantage that he has as a left-arm bowler, they should retain him," Raina said on Star Sports.

Do you agree with @ImRaina? 🤔

What are your thoughts on #MumbaiIndians’ retention plans - would you Hold or Fold these players? 💭

WATCH TATA IPL 2026 Retention Special 👉🏻 SAT, 15th NOV, 5 PM on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar pic.twitter.com/43OvHvBIRZ

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) November 10, 2025

Will Jacks Signed by the Mumbai Indians for ₹5.25 crore in the Mega Auction

Will Jacks was signed by the Mumbai Indians for ₹5.25 crore in the previous year’s mega auction after an intense bidding war with the Punjab Kings. However, the English all-rounder endured a mixed debut season with the five-time champions.

Jacks scored 233 runs in 13 matches at an average of 23.33 and a strike rate of 135.47. The right-handed batter was shuffled in the batting order. He was asked to open in some games and pushed down as low as No. 7 in others, preventing him from settling into one position.

Jacks made useful contributions with the ball. He was used as the team’s third spin option, especially against left-handed batters. The off-spinner picked up six wickets at an average of 20 and an economy rate of 8.57.

Mumbai Indians Yet to Win a Title Since IPL 2020

Mumbai Indians finished fourth in the league stage of IPL 2025 with eight wins and six defeats. However, their journey ended in Qualifier 2 after a loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS), extending their title drought since 2020.

Suryakumar Yadav was the best batter for the franchise. The right-handed batter scored 717 runs in 17 innings at an impressive average of 65.18 and a strike rate of 167.91, including five half-centuries, with a best score of 73.*

Rohit Sharma scored 418 runs in 15 games at an average of 29.85 and a strike rate of 149.28. As the team looks ahead to IPL 2026, Rohit, captain Hardik Pandya, and spearhead Jasprit Bumrah are expected to remain key members of the Mumbai Indians core.

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