‘Trent Boult, Allah Ghazanfar…’, Harbhajan called these 4 foreign players the perfect choice for MI’s playing XI.

By Samira Vishwas On Mar 16, 2026

Before the start of IPL 2026, all the franchises are busy deciding their strategies. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians had finished fourth last season, but this time their aim is to win a record sixth trophy.

Mumbai Indians will play their first match against Kolkata Knight Riders on 29 March 2026 at Wankhede Stadium. The command of the team is once again in the hands of Hardik Pandya, while experienced players like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah remain the strength of the team.

Meanwhile, former India and Mumbai Indians off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, while talking on Star Sports, gave his opinion regarding the combination of foreign players in the playing eleven of Mumbai Indians. According to Harbhajan, the team should start with a wicketkeeper batsman. He said that either Quinton de Kock or Ryan Rickelton may get a chance to open. After this, in bowling, Harbhajan Singh described Trent Boult and Allah Ghazanfar as the most important foreign players for the team. According to him, both these bowlers can make a big difference for Mumbai Indians.

As the fourth foreign player, Harbhajan Singh talked about giving a chance to one of Sherfane Rutherford and Will Jacques. He said that if the pitch is conducive to spin, like it is often seen in Chennai, then Will Jacques can be a better option as he can contribute with batting as well as bowling. In other circumstances, Sherfane Rutherford can also prove useful for the team.

Mumbai Indians squad for IPL 2026:

Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Verma, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Will Jacques, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Shardul Thakur, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwini Kumar, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Mayank Markande, Naman Dheer, Raghu Sharma, Raj Angad Bawa, Robin Minz, Sherfane Rutherford, Danish Malewar, Atharva Ankolekar, Mayank Rawat and Mohammad Izhar.