IPL 2026: After Shardul Thakur, Mumbai Indians make another big trade
Mumbai Indians continue their aggressive IPL 2026 trade window moves after the acquisition of Shardul Thakur in another big signing. The franchise further strengthened its roster ahead of the new season by adding a second player in a significant swap deal. Here are all the details.
Following the acquisition of Shardul Thakur from Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians (MI) further strengthened their squad by trading West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford from Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the IPL 2026 season. Rutherford will join MI at his current fee of INR 2.6 crore and provide additional strength to the middle-order and bowling line-up.
Rutherford, 27, has played in 44 T20Is for the West Indies and holds the record for the highest sixth-wicket partnership in T20Is, having struck up a 139-run partnership with Andre Russell against Australia in Perth. He participated in 23 matches in the IPL, representing Delhi Capitals (2019), Royal Challengers Bangalore (2022) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2024).
He was also part of the MI squad in 2020 but failed to break into the starting eleven. During his IPL career, Rutherford played 23 matches and scored 397 runs at an average of 24.81 and a strike rate of 137.37. He is yet to score a half-century, his highest score of 46, and has hit 25 fours and 26 sixes so far.
“Southpaw’s explosive batting style and ability to contribute key quick-fire cameos, coupled with his versatility as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, make him a valuable option in terms of balance and firepower in the team, making him a perfect fit for our brand of cricket,” Mumbai Indians wrote on their official website welcoming the Caribbean all-rounder to the team. he wrote.
Read more https://t.co/13g4GNOoRY pic.twitter.com/cKqUu5zlbT
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 13, 2025
He played in 13 matches in the 2025 season, scoring 291 runs at a significantly improved average of 32.33 and a strike rate of 157.30; of which 22 were fours and 18 were sixes.
Meanwhile, LSG all-rounder Shardul Thakur was traded to MI for his current fee of INR 2 billion. Thakur joined LSG as an injury replacement in IPL 2025 and played 10 matches. Known for his versatility and key performances, he has proven to be a valuable asset to every team he plays for.
With the addition of Rutherford and Thakur, Mumbai Indians aim to strengthen both their batting and bowling capabilities, providing more flexibility to coach Mark Boucher as the team prepares for the challenging IPL 2026 season.
MI clinched the IPL title five times, making them the most successful team along with Chennai Super Kings. However, they have not been able to lift the cup since 2020. Last season their journey ended in Qualifier 2 where they lost by five wickets to Punjab Kings.
Also read| Shardul Thakur sets unique IPL record with third career trade, joins THIS franchise for 2026 season
