West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford is gearing up to join the Mumbai Indians (MI) for the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League, thanks to a successful trade from the Gujarat Titans (GT). GT had brought him on board for INR 2.6 crore, and he’ll be making the switch to MI at the same fee. At just 27, Rutherford has already played 44 T20Is for the West Indies and boasts the record for the highest sixth-wicket partnership in T20I history, having put together an impressive 139-run partnership with Andre Russell against Australia in Perth. So far, he’s participated in 23 IPL matches, having previously played for the Delhi Capitals in 2019 and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2022. He was part of the MI squad back in 2020 and also played for the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, although he didn’t get a chance to step onto the field during those seasons. Also Read | IPL 2026 Retention Rules, Deadline, and How to Watch Live Updates However, the 2025 season marked a turning point for the Guyanese cricketer, as he played nearly all the league matches for the Gujarat Titans. In 11 innings during 2025, Rutherford scored 291 runs, averaging 32.33 with a strike rate of 157.29, while the bulk of GT's runs came from their top-order trio of Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler. MI strengthen squad with Rutherford, Shardul before IPL 202 Rutherford is the second confirmed trade for the five-time champions ahead of the 2026 mega tournament. Earlier on Thursday, the franchise also announced the acquisition of all-rounder Shardul Thakur from the Lucknow Super Giants. Like Rutherford, Shardul joined the Mumbai-based team in an all-cash deal for INR 2 crore. The trade window for the 2026 season will close on November 15 at 5:00 PM, after which teams will dive into preparations for the IPL auctions set for December 27. Since this will be a mini-auction, teams can retain most of their core players to ensure a smooth transition into the next season.