Mitchell Santner Claims Mumbai Indians Paid Only Half of Agreed IPL Contract After Injury

New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner has revealed that Mumbai Indians paid him only half of his agreed Indian Premier League (IPL) contract after a shoulder injury cut short his participation in the tournament.

Speaking in a recent interview, Santner said he was disappointed by the decision, especially because the injury occurred while he was representing the franchise during the competition. According to Santner, his IPL contract was worth INR20 million, but he ultimately received only half of that amount after being ruled out of the season.

The left-arm spinner explained that his IPL campaign was disrupted by a shoulder injury sustained shortly after he returned to the tournament following the birth of his second child.

Santner said he missed his first IPL match because of family commitments and then returned to play against Delhi. During that match, he suffered a shoulder injury. Although he attempted a comeback a week later, he injured the same shoulder again, forcing him to leave the tournament and return home.

He stated that damaging the same shoulder twice within a two-week period made him feel that he was placing excessive strain on his body.

The 34-year-old added that doctors initially expected his recovery to take around eight weeks. However, his rehabilitation progressed much faster than anticipated, allowing him to regain fitness within four weeks.

Santner said his quicker-than-expected recovery later became the subject of discussion in the media, particularly regarding his availability for international cricket soon after leaving the IPL.

Following his recovery, Santner rejoined the New Zealand squad a week before the first Test against England and returned to national duty.

The all-rounder featured in five matches for Mumbai Indians before being officially ruled out of the IPL on April 27.

Under IPL regulations, players who suffer injuries during the tournament are generally entitled to payments according to the terms agreed in their auction contracts. However, Santner claims he did not receive the full amount outlined in his deal with Mumbai Indians.

Indian media reports indicate that Mumbai Indians have not yet issued an official statement in response to Santner’s comments regarding the payment dispute.

After Santner’s exit from the tournament, Mumbai Indians signed South African spinner Keshav Maharaj as his replacement for the remainder of the IPL season.