By Admin 
Shardul Thakur’s homecoming in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is complete. Mumbai Indians (MI) on Thursday confirmed the acquisition of Shardul and West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford in separate trades with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT), respectively, strengthening their Indian and overseas depth ahead of the 2026 season.
MI secured Shardul for his existing fee of ₹2 crore, the amount LSG had paid to sign him as an injury replacement during the 2025 season. Born and bred in Mumbai, Shardul’s return aligns with MI’s search for a seasoned Indian pace-bowling allrounder after Deepak Chahar’s recruitment did not yield the expected returns. With his ability to bowl in demanding phases and contribute lower down the order, the 33-year-old fits MI’s requirements perfectly.
With MI’s purse having shrunk further, the twin trades also signal that the franchise is likely to release some high-value players while submitting its retention list. The deadline for retentions is November 15, with the auction expected to be held on December 16 in Abu Dhabi.
Shardul featured in 10 games for LSG after being drafted in as a replacement for the injured Mohsin Khan. Although he went unsold in last year’s auction due to a high base price, his mid-season inclusion materialised thanks to LSG director of cricket Zaheer Khan, who once captained him in Mumbai cricket. His return to MI adds to a memorable domestic season in which he is leading Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.
MI also bolstered its overseas bench by bringing in Sherfane Rutherford from GT, again at his existing fee of ₹2.6 crore. The 27-year-old West Indies allrounder has played 44 T20Is and holds the record for the highest sixth-wicket partnership in T20Is — a 139-run stand with Andre Russell against Australia in Perth.
This will also be Rutherford’s homecoming to MI as he wore the gold and blue in 2020 but did not get a game during his the stint with the five-time champion.