Punjab pacer Krish Bhagat earns Mumbai Indians call-up after impressing team management during pre-season training sessions

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Mumbai Indians have officially signed 21-year-old Punjab fast bowler Krish Bhagat as a replacement for injured all-rounder Atharva Ankolekar ahead of the ongoing IPL 2026 season. Bhagat joins the five-time IPL champions at his base price of INR 30 lakh after earning the confidence of the franchise’s coaching staff through his performances behind the scenes.

Atharva Ankolekar has been ruled out after failing to recover fully from the knee injury he sustained during the Ranji Trophy earlier this year. The setback forced Mumbai Indians to look for a young pace option, and Bhagat emerged as the preferred choice after spending the last two seasons training with the franchise.

Krish Bhagat has been closely associated with Mumbai Indians in recent years. He represented the Reliance team in the DY Patil T20 Cup in 2026 and also worked as a support bowler for MI during their IPL 2026 preparations. His consistent performances in training sessions and practice matches reportedly left a strong impression on the team management.

The young seamer has already shown promise in domestic cricket for Punjab. Bhagat has played seven first-class matches and nine List A games so far in his career. He has taken nine wickets in List A cricket, with his best bowling figures of 3 for 33 coming in December 2025. Apart from his bowling, he also displayed his lower-order batting ability by scoring 51 runs from No. 8 in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Uttarakhand.

In an official statement, Mumbai Indians praised Bhagat’s commitment and discipline, highlighting the qualities that helped him secure a place in the main squad. The franchise said his dedication, work ethic, and steady improvement over the past two years made him a deserving candidate for the opportunity.

Mumbai Indians are currently struggling in the IPL 2026 points table, sitting in ninth place with just one win from four matches. Their bowling attack has been under pressure this season, with senior pacers yet to make a major impact. Bhagat’s inclusion could provide fresh energy to a pace unit that already includes Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Trent Boult, and Deepak Chahar.

For Mumbai Indians, the signing of Krish Bhagat represents both a short-term injury replacement and a long-term investment in emerging Indian fast-bowling talent as they aim to revive their IPL 2026 campaign.