Bhanu Pania also impressed Hardik Pandya last year.
Mumbai Indians (MI) will have to be really smart with their targets at the IPL 2026 auction, for they will have the minimum budget among all 10 teams. They often unearth unknown talents in the mini auction, and one on their radar this time might be Bhanu Pania.
Bhanu is a hard-hitter from Baroda, the same state as Hardik Pandya, and attended the MI trials a few days back, where he impressed with his skills. According to reports, the 29-year-old registered scores of 49* (20) and 27* (11) in the MI nets, where his big-hitting abilities came to the fore.
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Bhanu Pania made his T20 debut for Baroda in 2021 and has played 45 matches in the format, scoring 726 runs at an average of 34.57 and a strike rate of 155.12 in 35 innings. He has also hit two fifties and a century, but a more notable aspect has been his six-hitting ability: the batter has hit more sixes (47) than fours (46) in the format.
He impressed Hardik Pandya during the breakthrough season in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, where he hit as many as 25 maximums in seven outings. His strike rate was 214.96, and Pania was pivotal in the team’s run to the semifinals.
In the ongoing SMAT 2025-26, his scores read: 28*, 29*, 1*, 1, & 53*. Having made his debut in 2021, Bhanu Pania has also featured in 17 List A matches, accumulating 385 runs at an average of 27.50 and a strike rate of 98.71, with one fifty.
Mumbai Indians wanted to strengthen their lower middle order and traded in Sherfane Rutherford from the Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. However, they would want more local options in the squad, such as Naman Dhir, who can contribute heavily in future.
They already have a settled squad, and most of their buys in the auction will be long-term investments that can develop and become match-winners in later seasons. The Mumbai Indians will be wary of Hardik’s issues against hard lengths and Sherfane Rutherford’s against wide lines against express pacers and would want more options for pace-hitting in the squad.
Anyway, Indian pace bashers are hard to find, and MI wouldn’t want to let this opportunity to get Bhanu Pania at a reasonable price slip. Unless some other team takes his price out of their budget, Bhanu might be on the target list for the IPL 2026 auction.
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