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Mumbai Indians (MI) on May 20 announced three replacement players for their overseas players who will return home for national duty. England's Will Jacks, South Africa's Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch will be unavailable for the playoffs stage. MI have signed England's wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow, Sri Lanka white-ball captain Charith Asalanka and England pacer Richard Gleeson as their replacements.
Bairstow has been roped in for Rs 5.25 crore. Gleeson has signed for Rs 1 crore wheras Asalanka will join for his base price. However, these replacements will be effective if MI advance to the playoffs stage.
MI's playoffs chances
Jacks, Rickelton and Bosch will be available for the must-win game against Delhi Capitals (DC) on May 21 at Wankhede Stadium. Hardik Pandya's MI are currently fighting for the fourth playoffs spot with Axar Patel's DC. MI are in fourth spot with seven wins from 12 games. Their net run rate (NRR) is +1.156.
If they lose their home game to DC the five-time champions will hope that Punjab Kings (PBKS) beat DC on May 24. Then, all MI need to do is beat PBKS in their last league stage game on May 26.
Impact of overseas players leaving before IPL playoffs
Rickelton leaving the camp will be a big blow for MI. The Proteas wicketkeeper-batter is their second-highest run-scorer. The southpaw has scored 336 runs from 12 games at an average of 30.55, including three fifties. His strike rate is 153.42. His teammate Bosch has played two games, scored 47 runs and bagged one wicket. Both players are in South Africa's squad for World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final against Australia.
Jacks is part of England's ODI squad for series at home against West Indies. He has claimed six wickets at an average of 18.60 and economy rate of 7.75 runs per over. With the bat, he has scored 195 runs from 11 innings at an average of 24.38.
Replacement players' record
Bairstow as a part of PBKS squad last season. He scored an unbeaten 108 in highest successful run chase of IPL history. He remained unsold in the mega auction. So far, he has scored 1,589 runs from 50 innings in his IPL career at an average of 34.54. He has two centuries and nine fifties.
Gleeson made his IPL debut for CSK last season and claimed just one wicket from two games. On the other hand, Asalanka is set to make his IPL debut. In T20Is, he has 1,247 runs from 57 games at an average of 24.45, including six fifties. He has bagged six wickets in T20Is as well. In India, he has played six T20Is and scored 127 runs including one fifty.
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