Mumbai Indians made a gold strike at Rs 2 crore as Mitchell Santner ends the years of spin frustration

The 2020 Mumbai Indians (Mi) team was probably considered to be the best T20 franchise XI. The team had everything-a power-pack top order and a bang and consecutive middle order of Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard. There was talent of Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Bault for not missing. But its lack was a star spinner. Pandya and Bault are back in the IPL 2025 Mi team, but in addition to Mitchell Santner, the bowling attack has completely scored.

Yes, back in 2019 and 2020, Krunal Pandya and Rahul completed the work of Char, but they are no Santner. The left -hand Kiwi Stalwart is probably one of the best white balls roaming in world cricket at this time. As a matter of fact, since 2023, he has been one of the spinners taking leading wickets with 103 scalps at 26.00 in international cricket. It also includes his valor against India, where he took 13 wickets in a Test match in Pune last year.

Michelle Santner’s masterclass for MI against DC

Santner that makes all magic depends on its trajectory and motion – two components depend on every spinner – but St.Nar feels that the art is mastered. Despite the risk of being a hit, Santner forces loops in front of a batsman and to make mistakes. When MI needed him the most, he had a mastery of his spin bowling. In a virtual do-or-dai game, Santner ran a web around Delhi Capital (DC).

He originally bounded the entire middle order of DC, threatening at a point. Vipraj Nigam, Sameer Rizvi and Ashutosh Sharma-day-day three of the most run-songs for DC were out of the sheer talent of Santner, who used all the grips available at Vankehed Stadium.

His 15th over, especially, was one of the best overs you will ever see. He cheated Rizvi on a sweep shot before slowing down the speed of 96 km per hour on the first ball. Masterclass in spin bowling continued after wooing Ashutosh for a drive, only defeated him with some magnificent left hand bend. They ended the mantra Divine figures of 3/11!

Spinner Mumbai Indians tried before Santner’s arrival

• Piyush Chawla – did well, but was in the death stage of his career
• Shres Gopal – did not get many opportunities
• Raghav Goyal – Highly inexperienced
• Shams Mulani – did not get many opportunities
• Kumar Karthikya – showed capacity, but his form noseved
• Murugan Ashwin – removed after just 1 season
• Mayank Marken – Missdeld
• Average off-spinner in Hrithik Journal-IPL
• Fabian Allen – not used enough, not powerful enough for IPL

The AB/Ove list easily depicts a picture, in which Mi was in dire need of a spinner to control the run rate in the middle overs. Many times, the sides leaked too much in the middle overs and were forced to bring him to Bumrah in his second magic. In fact, IPL 2020 to IPL 2024, MI was the worst spin-bouling unitIn these five years, the tismors for MI took only 111 wickets, the lowest among the teams to be played in all five sessions. His bowling average (34.30) and the economy (8.26) were both the worst.

In each IPL auction, MI fans did not reinforce the “Sanny” IPL 2025 mega auction to signing a star spinner for their team. MI picked up paddle for Rs 2 crore, and to surprise many people, he found Kiwi White-Ball captain for his base price! This has proved to be a complete theft. So far in IPL 2025, Santner has taken only seven wickets in ten innings, but his economy rate is the 4th best out of 7.60 spinners!