Former Chennai Super Kings spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has shared strong views on the Mumbai Indians’ planning and execution at the IPL 2026 auction, which took place on Tuesday, December 16, in Abu Dhabi. Ashwin highlighted how Mumbai entered the auction with clarity and confidence, despite facing uncertainties that usually surround such events. According to him, Mumbai’s approach reflected long-term thinking rather than short-term reactions.
Mumbai Indians, five-time IPL champions, went into the auction with the smallest purse of ₹2.75 crore. With limited funds available, the franchise signed only four players during the auction — Atharva Ankolekar, Mohammad Izhar, Mayank Rawat, and Danish Malewar. However, Ashwin believes the real work was done before the auction itself, allowing Mumbai to avoid pressure bidding and unpredictable outcomes.
Ashwin Explains Why Mi’s Auction Approach Stood Out
Speaking in a video shared by the Mumbai Indians on X, Ashwin explained how Mumbai’s strategy could change the way teams view auctions in the future. He pointed out that franchises may not enjoy entering auctions if more teams begin securing their core squads beforehand. The retired off-spinner said:
“I was watching the mini auction today. One thing is clear. A lot of teams eventually might not really enjoy getting into the auction, given what Mumbai Indians have done. They almost secured their entire team before getting into the auction. I think it’s a really smart move because going into the auction, you don’t know who you can secure or what sort of a talent you can secure at what price. I feel what Mumbai have done by securing Mayank Markande, Shardul Thakur, and Sherfane Rutherford is create options.”
During the trading window ahead of the auction, Mumbai successfully brought in Mayank Markande, Shardul Thakur, and Sherfane Rutherford, strengthening their squad without spending heavily at the auction table.
“They Have Given Themselves Heaps Of Options” – Ravichandran Ashwin On Mumbai Indians’ Squad For Ipl 2026
In the same video, Ravichandran Ashwin stressed that Mumbai’s squad gives them the flexibility to adapt to different match conditions. He noted that the Hardik Pandya-led side can easily change combinations depending on pitch, opposition, and match situation. He also warned rival teams to stay alert when facing Mumbai in the upcoming season.
“If they want, they can go the Indian spinner route, stack their batting up with Rutherford. If they choose to go with an Indian seamer which is Shardul Thakur, they can probably sacrifice another foreign bowler and eventually also play an extra batter. Or maybe play Allah Ghazanfar and Mitchell Santner if Shardul also comes into the setup. They have given themselves heaps of options and added strength from what they had last year. If I was another team, going into this particular IPL, like every other year, I would be wary of what Mumbai has put together,” he said.
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