Mumbai Indians to commence their IPL 2026 campaign against KKR.
The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis has made a massive remark on the star Mumbai Indians (MI) duo ahead of the IPL 2026. He believes the presence of Caribbean big hitter Sherfane Rutherford and English all-rounder Will Jacks provides a huge boost to the MI middle order, so much so that it almost equals having Andre Russell twice in their line-up.
“If you followed Rutherford last year, he was as hot as it can get in terms of T20 cricket. He is in every competition that is being played; he is smoking the ball. Then you have Jacks, he’s adding finishing power and his off-spin. It’s like having two Russells in your team, almost, at the moment. Their team is looking unbelievable,” stated the batter on ESPN Cricinfo.
Notably, the West Indies player had scored 291 runs in 13 matches for the Gujarat Titans (GT) last season, striking at a fierce rate of 157.29. But the five-time champions had traded in the player just ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction. Before playing some fierce cameos in the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Rutherford had also enjoyed a blistering SA20 2026 outing for the Pretoria Capitals.
He notched up 334 runs in 11 fixtures at a pulsating strike rate of 165.34, becoming the fourth-highest run-getter of the tournament. On the other hand, Jacks is also carrying on a rich vein of form. The ex-RCB player had an impactful season, scoring 233 runs and snaring six wickets for the Mumbai outfits in the previous edition.
The 27-year-old was also England’s standout performer in the mega T20 championship. Besides putting up some crucial rescue acts with the willow, Jacks also consistently chipped in with the ball. There are certainly no doubts regarding the balance these overseas recruits bring to the franchise’s batting order.
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Since lifting the title in consecutive seasons during the IPL 2019 and IPL 2020, the franchise has endured a decline in their dominating graph. The last five editions have witnessed a rollercoaster of outings, including two bottom-place finishes and as many playoff qualifications.
However, following a third-place finish in the previous season, Hardik Pandya and Co. would want to continue with the same momentum. MI will kickstart their IPL 2026 campaign with an exciting home clash against the three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 29.
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