After IPL 2026 exit, Mitchell Santner to miss crucial WTC matches for New Zealand
by Naman Jain · Inside Sport IndiaMitchell Santner, part of the Mumbai Indians (MI) team, endured a shoulder injury before getting replaced by Keshav Maharaj in IPL 2026.
Mitchell Santner’s IPL 2026 campaign with the Mumbai Indians (MI) has ended on a tough note. However, the impact is set to stretch well beyond the cash-rich tournament. The New Zealand all-rounder will miss key upcoming Test matches, including that of World Test Championship (WTC), after scans confirmed a serious shoulder injury.
Bad news for Santner
Santner, who was part of a struggling Mumbai Indians this season, has been ruled out for at least a month with a grade three ACL injury in his left shoulder. . The injury occurred during MI’s clash against Chennai Super Kings on April 23. He completed his full quota of overs in that game, returning figures of 1 for 44, but did not come out to bat, with Shardul Thakur coming in as a replacement. Many fans thought that how did Shardul come to bat in the second innings but later fans found out that Santner was concussed.
The 34-year-old had a limited role this season, featuring in just four matches for MI after joining the squad late. In those games, he picked up five wickets at an economy rate of 8.92 and scored 26 runs in two innings at a strike rate of 136.84. He had a more consistent run last season, playing 13 matches and taking 10 wickets at an economy of 7.92. Santner was touted to have a bigger role. However, Mumbai’s bowling, perhaps the entire structure, has fallen off this season. Allah Ghazanfar, the other overseas spinner, has been a shining light.
After flying back to New Zealand, Santner consulted a specialist, and New Zealand Cricket confirmed that he will now undergo a period of rest and rehabilitation. The timeline means he will miss the one-off Test against Ireland and the first Test against England at Lord’s, with his availability for the remaining matches still uncertain.
New Zealand’s upcoming Test schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| May 27–30 | vs Ireland (Only Test) (Non WTC) | Belfast |
| June 4–8 | vs England (1st Test) | Lord’s, London |
| June 17–21 | vs England (2nd Test) | The Oval, London |
| June 25–29 | vs England (3rd Test) | Trent Bridge, Nottingham |
The timing is far from ideal for New Zealand, especially with a packed red-ball calendar ahead. Santner had already skipped the Bangladesh white-ball tour due to IPL commitments, and now faces a race against time to be fit for the latter part of the England series.
Despite this setback, there is some positive news for New Zealand. Santner is expected to recover in time for the white-ball tour of the West Indies in July, where he is likely to resume his role as captain in the shorter formats.