Mumbai, Nov. 10 -- Former Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund said that Mumbai Indians (MI) will need an Indian wicketkeeper-batter ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2027 auctions, claiming that the lack of one caused the team to play Tilak Varma down the order and not play all-rounders Sherfane Rutherford and Will Jacks together in the playing XI.

During the 2026 IPL edition, MI had two South African wicketkeeping options in their squad, Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock. Rickelton scored 448 runs in 12 innings at an average of 40.72, with a strike rate of 186.66, including a century and two fifties. Kock, who reunited with MI for the first time after 2021 after being sold for Rs 1 crore, featured in three matches, scoring 132 runs,...