Mumbai has moved another step closer to the next edition of the T20 Mumbai League with several franchises confirming their retained squads. As the league prepares for Season 4, teams have lined up key domestic and India-linked players ahead of the draft of new talent.
Quick facts
- Triumph Knights Mumbai North East retained Suryakumar Yadav, Ayush Mhatre, and Shreyas Iyer (for a fourth season) along with other named players.
- Andheri Arcs kept Shivam Dube, Pragesh Kanpillewar and Deepak Shetty.
- Maratha Royals released pacer Tushar Deshpande; the defending champions retain other core members.
- Aakash Tigers retained Sarfaraz Khan, Shams Mulani and Jay Bista.
- Auction for Season 4 is set for May 2, with the tournament starting on June 2.
- Each of the eight teams was permitted to retain three players.
Triumph Knights Mumbai North East have, as expected, retained India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav and the Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings opening batter Ayush Mhatre. Sobo Mumbai Falcons, meanwhile, have kept Kings captain Shreyas Iyer for his fourth straight season in the league.
Andheri Arcs have retained India’s hero from the last two T20 World Cups, allrounder Shivam Dube, along with Pragesh Kanpillewar and seamer Deepak Shetty. The squads also include more continuity moves, with Triumph Knights under Atul Ranade holding on to allrounder Suryansh Shedge, who is currently part of the Punjab Kings set-up in IPL-2026.
Mhatre, who led the India Under-19 team to the title last year, was unable to feature in the T20 Mumbai League the previous season because he was occupied with the Under-19 camp ahead of the England tour. That context will keep the spotlight on how quickly he returns to form in the league setup.
Defending champions make a change
Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals, the defending champions, have opted to release pacer Tushar Deshpande. Deshpande has appeared in two T20 Internationals for India and is currently playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL-2026.
With retention limits fixed across the league, the franchises could only keep three players each, shaping every decision. Aakash Tigers have used their slots to retain CSK batter Sarfaraz Khan, left-arm spinner Shams Mulani, and opener Jay Bista.
The league’s schedule is now taking shape with the Season 4 auction slated for May 2. The tournament itself will begin on June 2, setting a clear runway for teams to add further options after the retained core.
MSC Royals have retained captain and senior batter Siddhesh Lad, under whose leadership they won the title last year. They have also kept pacers Rohan Raje and Irfan Umair as part of their continuity plan.
Thane Eagles Strikers have confirmed skipper Shardul Thakur, along with Atharva Ankolekar and Sairaj Patil. In Sobo Mumbai Falcons’ case, beyond Shreyas Iyer, the franchise has retained Kolkata Knight Riders opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Harsh Aghav.
North Mumbai Panthers have also locked in two Under-19 and spin-bowling options, retaining wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu, a member of the India Under-19 World Cup-winning side, and off-spinning allrounder Tanush Kotian.
With retentions finalized across all eight teams and the auction date approaching, the T20 Mumbai League’s talent pool is set for another competitive reshuffle. Fans can now track the league build-up through ongoing IPL coverage and match updates, including schedules and points movements, as the season timeline comes into focus.
