Ryan Rickelton is the left-handed opener that Mumbai Indians (MI) needed to complement their star batter Rohit Sharma. He was born on July 11, 1996, in Transvaal, South Africa, and went to St. Stithians College.
While growing up, Rickelton was active in multiple sports, including rugby, squash, and weightlifting. He was set to join South Africa’s squad for the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup in 2014 in the UAE but was ultimately not selected.
Rickelton currently plays for MI Cape Town in South Africa’s SA20, the country’s top T20 domestic league. Over four seasons, he has scored 1,349 runs in 34 innings, averaging 43.51 with a strike rate of 160.97. He has two centuries and eight fifties to his name, making him the leading run-scorer in SA20.
Initially, Rickelton was not named in South Africa’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. However, an injury to Tony de Zorzi before the SA20 changed his prospects. During the SA20, Rickelton scored 337 runs in nine innings, earning the position of the third-highest run-scorer with an average of 42.12 and a strike rate of 156.01, including two centuries. As de Zorzi’s injury persisted, Rickelton was added to South Africa’s World Cup squad.
Rickelton entered the IPL 2025 auction with a base price of INR 1 crore and was acquired by Mumbai Indians for the same amount. He played 14 matches for MI, scoring 388 runs with an average of 29.84 and a strike rate of 150.97, including three fifties. He was retained for the IPL 2026 season at the same price.
Ryan Rickelton’s IPL salary history
| Season | Team | Salary (INR crore) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | MI | 1.00 |
| 2025 | MI | 1.00 |
| Total | 2.00 |
*This information is based on available data; actual figures may vary.