Mumbai Indians named Krish Bhagat as a replacement for Atharva Ankolekar after Ankolekar was ruled out of IPL 2026. The move brings the 21-year-old Punjab all-rounder into the main squad after two years around the franchise setup.
Bhagat is a right-handed all-rounder and right-arm medium pacer who had been part of Mumbai Indians trials for the past two years. He also played for the Reliance Team in the DY Patil T20 Cup in 2026, and during pre-season this year he served as the support bowler. That work finally turned into a spot in the squad on April 16.
The numbers behind his rise are straightforward. Bhagat has played seven first-class matches and nine List A matches for Punjab, and he has already registered a half-century in List A cricket. Mumbai Indians coaching staff were said to have been impressed by his dedication and work ethic, while his development across domestic cricket and practice sessions helped him earn a transition into the main group.
Rohit Sharma also spent time advising Bhagat on how to think about his role. He told him to understand his bowling style and field placement, and urged him to build on his slower balls. Sharma framed the message as one of planning as much as skill, saying it was a game of strategy and that Bhagat first needed to realise his own bowling style before the rest would fall into place.
The timing matters because Mumbai Indians are making the change after Ankolekar's exit from the season, and Bhagat arrives with a clear brief rather than a blank slate. He has already been through the team environment, the trials, and the pre-season work, so the question now is not whether he knows the setup, but how quickly he can turn that familiarity into match value in IPL 2026.
