MI sign trio of replacements for outgoing players, with Bairstow, Asalanka, and Gleeson joining the camp soon.
MI sign trio of Bairstow, Gleeson and Asalanka as temporary replacements.
According to an IPL announcement, Bairstow will join for INR 5.25 crore, while Asalanka and pacer Gleeson were selected for INR 75 lakhs and INR 1 million, respectively, as reserve prices.
If MI qualifies, the replacement players will be available starting in the playoffs. The Delhi Capitals (DC) and MI are now vying for the final spot in the top four, and they will face off in a pivotal match on Wednesday. Additionally, this will be MI’s first game after the IPL was halted due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan and restarted on May 17.
Due to his commitment with the national side for ODIs against the West Indies, Jacks will not be available following MI’s final league game on May 26. Meanwhile, Rickelton and Bosch will join South Africa for their World Test Championship (WTC) final preparations. Following their last league stage match against the Punjab Kings on May 26, they will all depart.
Bairstow hasn’t played for England in any capacity since June 2024, and he didn’t sell at the November mega auction. He has led Yorkshire in the County Championship this season, but he will miss their opening two T20 Blast games as well as Friday’s match against Nottinghamshire.
“These decisions are never straightforward – especially given how much I’ve enjoyed leading Yorkshire this year,” Bairstow said on his Instagram account. “I’m incredibly grateful to the club for understanding, continued support and look forward to getting stuck back in on my return. This is a fantastic opportunity, and I’m excited to contribute to MI’s campaign. Can’t wait to get started and experience the energy of Mumbai.”
Last year, Gleeson, 37, made his IPL debut by playing two games as a substitute for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He will miss Warwickshire’s first two T20 Blast matches since he is under a white-ball contract with the county.
The white-ball skipper of Sri Lanka, Asalanka, was unsold at last year’s auction and has never participated in the IPL. After Kusal Mendis, he is the most recent batter from Sri Lanka to visit India for the IPL.