IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians include Suryakumar Yadav as impact sub
What's the story
Mumbai Indians (MI) have included star batter Suryakumar Yadav in their impact substitute list for their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season opener. The announcement came as MI captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to field against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Earlier this month, Suryakumar led India to the ICC T20 World Cup title.
Game plan
MI name Ghazanfar, Rickelton
MI's strategy for the match included debutant AM Ghazanfar and Ryan Rickelton at the top, instead of Quinton de Kock. Shardul Thakur was brought in to strengthen the batting order, while an additional spin option completed the bowling attack. Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wicket-keeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (captain), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Shardul Thakur, Mayank Markande, AM Ghazanfar, Trent Boult, and Jasprit Bumrah.
Captain's insight
Hardik Pandya says MI will bowl
MI's captain Hardik Pandya shared his thoughts on the match strategy. He said, "We are going to bowl. Looks like a good track, it appears greener than it used to." He added that this is their fortress and they have plenty of experience with a mix of youth in the team. "Rohit, Surya, Mitchell Santner - so there's no shortage of captains; I'm just excited to go out there and perform," he added.
Information
Mumbai Indians impact subs
A look at Mumbai Indians' impact subs: Suryakumar Yadav, Corbin Bosch, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa, and Ashwani Kumar.