Shami underwent a right heel surgery recently after missing the South Africa and England Tests for India and is supposed to be ruled out from the entire IPL and T20 World Cup in USA and West Indies. To cover up the huge blow, the Titans management snapped Warrier for his base price of INR 50 Lakhs. He made his IPL debut in 2019 for the Kolkata Knight Riders and played five games, picking a couple of wickets. The Kerala pacer was unsold during the IPL auction and hence Titans had the privilege of picking the right-arm pacer as Shami’s replacement.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka, who scalped 21 wickets from nine matches during World Cup 2023, suffered a leg injury during the third ODI against Bangladesh in Sylhet. Henceforth, the MI management, renowned for backing young exciting prospects (having picked Marco Jansen, Alzarri Joseph, and Duan Jansen in the past) opted for Kwana Mphaka’s services for the upcoming IPL edition at INR 50 Lakhs. It will be his maiden call-up in the lucrative event and the left-arm pacer was adjudged the player of the tournament in the 2024 U19 World Cup after bucketing 21 wickets in six matches at an impressive strike rate of 15.28.