He was signed for a base price of INR 30 lakhs.
MI haven’t won a title in five years and will be looking to end that drought in IPL 2026. The mini auction was an opportunity to bring reinforcements in Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 squad. They did a decent job and added some unknown names, such as Mohammed Izhar from Bihar.
The left-arm pacer was bought by the franchise for a base price of INR 30 lakh, and could well get a game or two in the coming edition. So, who is this young talent from the Mumbai Indians squad IPL 2026?
The 22-year-old pacer comes from a small town in Bihar with big dreams and an undying passion to make those dreams come true. Mohammed Izhar might have only five T20 appearances in senior professional cricket, but those were enough to show the Mumbai Indians scouts a spark that could light up the Indian Premier League.
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025, Izhar made his professional debut and played five games. He claimed nine wickets in those at an economy of 7.11 while striking every 13.1 balls. His best figures of 4 for 39 came against Madhya Pradesh, while he took two for 22 in four overs with a maiden versus Maharashtra.
🔸Mohammed Izhar Mumbai Indians Pick
— MI Blud☄️ (@micricket2013) December 16, 2025
🔸Left Arm Pacer from Bihar#IPLAuction #IPL pic.twitter.com/y61Pxea0hT
Izhar, who played plenty of tennis ball cricket before shifting to leather ball, understood the importance of control at an early age. He has a pretty good pace in his armoury, but that’s not his only weapon. He has accuracy, and he has height, giving him that extra edge over others. He can swing the ball both ways and can nail the yorkers.
In IPL 2025, Izhar was a net bowler for Chennai Super Kings on MS Dhoni’s recommendation. That gives a good indication of the raw talent he possesses. All in all, there is a lot to like about the young pacer as he hopes for bigger opportunities in his career.
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Mumbai Indians squad 2026 looks pretty good, and they have multiple options in the pace department. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, they have Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur as two experienced campaigners.
They had also retained left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar, which makes it four pace options, including Izhar, for one spot. Given the competition for the role, it looks unlikely that the youngster will get many chances in the upcoming season.
However, the Mumbai Indians have a habit of throwing a few surprises every season as they like to test the talent their scouts have unearthed. Considering that, there is a possibility that Izhar could get a few games to showcase his skill set on a bigger stage. And who knows, he could be that wild card in their bowling attack.
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