With the IPL 2026 retention deadline looming on November 15, five-time champions Mumbai Indians are reportedly prioritising a homecoming for their former wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, 27, to bolster their lineup amid captain Rohit Sharma's impending retirement phase, according to a Times of India report. The franchise, trophyless since their 2020 triumph, is strategising for a mini-auction slated around December 15, where teams can retain up to six players but face a ₹120 crore salary cap reset.
Kishan, who dazzled in MI's 2016-2022 stint with explosive cameos like his 81-ball 99 against Rajasthan Royals, has been out of national reckoning since a 2023 BCCI contract snub over domestic lapses. Now with Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he aggregated 327 runs at a 148 strike rate in IPL 2025, Kishan remains a hot prospect. MI views his reacquisition—potentially via Right to Match or aggressive bidding—as a seamless fit, especially given South African Ryan Rickelton's solid but overseas-limited stint as their 2025 opener-keeper. An Indian core player like Kishan affords MI greater flexibility with their four foreign slots, per IPL rules, while grooming a successor to the 38-year-old Rohit, whose 7,000+ IPL runs and five titles define the franchise's golden era.
Interest in Kishan extends beyond MI, with Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals also circling, drawn to his ambidextrous batting flair and glovework that netted 42 dismissals in 69 MI games. KKR, fresh off a 2024 runners-up finish, seeks depth behind Quinton de Kock, while RR aims to revive their wicketkeeping options post-Dhruv Jurel's emergence. Reports indicate MI has initiated talks with Kishan's camp, though no deals are sealed, underscoring the high-stakes chess of retentions, where uncapped players cost just ₹4 crore against ₹18 crore for capped Indians.
This pursuit aligns with MI's succession blueprint: Hardik Pandya's 2024 captaincy shift already signalled transition, but Rohit's enduring form—483 runs in IPL 2025—delays a full handover. Experts like Sanjay Manjrekar have praised Kishan's "fearless" mindset, honed under MI mentors, positioning him as an ideal bridge to inject youth into a squad averaging 32 years.
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The 2026 cycle promises upheaval, with Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals—bottom-placed in 2025—facing rebuilds after MS Dhoni's likely fadeout and Sanju Samson's inconsistencies. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, buoyed by their maiden 2025 title under new skipper Rajat Patidar, will retain cores like Virat Kohli for continuity post-Faf du Plessis' exit.
Across franchises, the auction's mini format limits retentions to essentials, fuelling speculation on stars like KL Rahul or Shreyas Iyer hitting the market. For MI, Kishan's potential return evokes nostalgia—his breakout 2020 season yielded 516 runs—while pragmatically addressing a post-Rohit void. As boards convene, the wicketkeeper's camp weighs offers, balancing loyalty to MI's legacy against lucrative bids elsewhere in a league valued at $11.7 billion.
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