Reason For Will Jacks Time-Off In The Middle Of IPL 2026 Revealed

Will Jacks has missed 4 matches of IPL 2026 [Source: AFP]

The five-time champions Mumbai Indians have dearly missed the services of England international Will Jacks in the early days of IPL 2026, having won only one of their four matches so far.

Notably, they ended their 13-year wait for winning the first match of the season in IPL 2026, defeating KKR at home. However, as has been the case for several seasons, they haven’t started the tournament well, and some of the issues have come to the fore in both batting and bowling.

Will Jacks, who was in red-hot form ahead of the IPL, could have been the solution to MI’s questions. With the tournament reaching the halfway stage, there have been questions around his absence and a potential return, with the latest update on the issue also coming in from England.

Why has Will Jacks not joined MI?

The star England all-rounder was among the key members of MI’s IPL 2025 campaign, featuring in 13 matches of the season. He scored 233 runs at a strike rate of 135.46 and picked 6 wickets in 8 innings with the ball in their run to the playoff stages.

Leading up to the IPL 2026 season, he also played four of the five Ashes Tests Down Under as an all-rounder in a Moeen Ali-esque role. Later on, he was also a part of England’s ODI and T20I tour of Sri Lanka, followed by the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

According to the BBC, having featured in almost every England match since December, Will Jacks asked MI for an extended vacation to rest, recoup and spend time with his family. He was also seen with his fiancée, Ana Brumwell, in Paris, attending a concert a few days ago, raising questions among MI fans.

When will Will Jacks join MI?

As per the same report, it is learnt that after missing the four games, Jacks will soon be en route to India to join the MI squad and bolster both their batting and bowling lineups.

He is set to fly to India anytime this week and could potentially be back in the playing XI against the Punjab Kings on Thursday or the Gujarat Titans on Monday, April 10.

Also Read: Hardik Pandya Gives Final Warning To MI Teammates After Heart-Breaking Loss Against RCB

Will Jacks’ inclusion instrumental for MI

In the first four matches of IPL 2026, MI have shown vulnerability in both the batting and bowling departments. With the ball, Jasprit Bumrah has been wicketless in the tournament, while Trent Boult has been consistently leaking runs alongside others. With the bat, they have failed to capitalise on the starts and failed to finish a couple of matches as well.

While Mitchell Santner and Allah Ghazanfar are being rotated in the early days of the season, their issue with the lack of quality in the spin bowling department has cost them big time.

This is the exact role Will Jacks played for England in the T20 World Cup. While batting as 6-7, he scored 226 runs in 8 innings, averaging 56.50 at a strike rate of 176.56. With his off-break bowling, he picked 9 wickets in the tournament and was also named as the POTM on four occasions.

His return to the MI camp could immediately change the mood, and they could find a fine balance in the team combination.

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