The Mumbai Indians (MI) have signed 21-year-old pacer Krish Bhagat as a replacement for Atharva Ankolekar, who is sidelined due to injury for the IPL 2026 season. Bhagat, a right-arm medium pacer from Punjab, has participated in seven first-class and nine List A matches, showcasing his potential with a half-century in List A cricket. He has been involved with the Mumbai Indians for two years, participating in trials and serving as a support bowler during pre-season. The team's management praised Bhagat for his dedication and performance in practice sessions, leading to this opportunity. Ankolekar, a left-arm spinning all-rounder, was part of India's U19 World Cup team in 2020 and notably earned the Player of the Match award in the 2019 ACC U19 Asia Cup final against Bangladesh. Bhagat joins the Mumbai Indians at a base price of ₹30 lakh (approximately $36,000 USD).