Mumbai Indians (MI) are in advanced discussions to bring in Jonny Bairstow and Richard Gleeson as temporary replacements for Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton respectively, should they qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs. Jacks, who rejoined the squad for MI's final group-stage games, will be unavailable for the knockouts due to England’s ODI series against West Indies, while Rickelton, part of South Africa's World Test Championship (WTC) final squad, will also depart before the playoffs. Bairstow, currently captaining Yorkshire, is expected to fly to India after this week's County Championship fixture against Surrey, pending a No-Objection Certificate. Though he went unsold at last year’s mega-auction and hasn’t featured for England since June 2024, Bairstow brings experience and power, with two IPL hundreds, a strike rate of 144.45, and the versatility to keep wickets. Meanwhile, Gleeson, who played two matches for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2024, is being eyed to bolster MI’s bowling department in Rickelton’s absence. The 37-year-old quick is on a white-ball contract with Warwickshire and will miss the opening T20 Blast fixtures if signed. MI, currently fourth on the table, must navigate their final games against Delhi Capitals (May 21) and Punjab Kings (May 26) to secure their place in the playoffs, having rebounded mid-season with a six-match winning streak before the tournament was temporarily suspended due to India-Pakistan border tensions.