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3 Teams That Can Bid Hard For Wiaan Mulder in IPL 2026 Auction ft. Mumbai Indians

Aditya Ighe

Last updated: July 7, 2025

4 min read

He featured in only one game for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025.

After losing the Final in a record-breaking season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) struggled in the recently concluded edition. In IPL 2025, SRH finished sixth on the points table. They looked formidable on paper, and many believed they were the favourites in the title race. But their approach backfired. SRH also failed to find the right combination, specifically with their fourth overseas option. With other teams offering slow and sluggish pitches, SRH went with spin-bowling all-rounders ahead of Wiaan Mulder. As a result, the South African cricketer remained underutilised, while Kamindu Mendis and Adam Zampa played ahead of him.

While Mulder didn’t get many opportunities to play in the IPL 2025, he played a crucial role (33 runs and a wicket) in South Africa’s historic World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 title triumph. He followed it up with a hundred and a four-fer in the first Test against Zimbabwe. Leading the side in the second match, the right-hand batter registered the fifth-highest score (367) in Test history and picked up two wickets in the first innings. As a result, the stakes for Wiaan Mulder have gone sky-high.

Talking about the Indian T20 league, many teams would be seeking a seam-bowling all-rounder who can bat anywhere in the top seven. Hence, Mulder would be in high demand in the upcoming IPL 2026 auction if SRH decide to release him.

Here, we check which three teams will pursue the Proteas if he is released by SRH.

Mumbai Indians (MI)

The five-time champions, Mumbai Indians (MI), qualified for the IPL playoffs after a four-year gap. Their batters struggled initially but found their mojo as the season progressed. Their bowling attack looked lethal since the pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah rejoined the squad. However, with concerns over captain Hardik Pandya’s fitness, they lacked a quality pace-bowling all-rounder. MI roped in Corbin Bosch as a replacement for his compatriot, Lizaad Williams. But the all-rounder warmed the bench in the majority of the games and could hardly make an impact. Bosch appeared in only three games for MI and managed just 47 runs and a wicket.

Since Kieron Pollard’s retirement, MI have tried Daniel Sams and Chris Jordan too. The addition of Wiaan Mulder could solve the problem for Mumbai. He could share the finishing duties with Hardik. The right-hand batter would also love to bat at Wankhede, where the track offers good bounce and pace. The 27-year-old also brings a decent amount of T20 experience, having played in the SA20 league and T20 Blast in England.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have delivered their worst IPL season ever. They finished last with eight points and four wins throughout the tournament. While they lacked intent with the bat and wicket-taking ability in the middle overs, CSK struggled with the all-rounders as well. They invested in English pace-bowling all-rounders like Sam Curran and Jamie Overton but didn’t get the expected result. Curran managed just 114 runs and one wicket in five matches. Overton scored 15 runs in three outings and remained wicketless, conceding runs at an economy of 13.83.

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The stand-in captain, MS Dhoni, has already hinted at potential changes in the squad in the IPL 2026 auction. CSK have given some signs of rebuilding the team by signing youngsters like Ayush Mhatre and Urvil Patel as replacements in the IPL 2025. Amidst all this, CSK might also target the Proteas all-rounder. He could be deployed in a Dwayne Bravo-type role for maximum utilisation. He will offer middle-order batting and three-four overs of pace bowling, providing the balance to the squad. He could even step into the finisher role if Dhoni decides to retire from the cash-rich league.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) couldn’t fill the gap created after the departure of Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis. He played a crucial role in guiding LSG to two consecutive IPL playoffs in his three-year stint with the franchise. He left with the second-most (952) runs for the franchise, including a century and five fifties during his tenure.

Mulder could be a like-for-like replacement for Stoinis. He offers the same skills as Stoinis, with lower-order batting and four-over bowling. His sharp fielding could also bolster LSG’s outfield metrics. The red-soil pitch at Ekana Stadium will also work in his favour and could be a game-changer for the side.

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