Jason Behrendorff is struggling with a back problem which kept him out of the Big Bash but Mumbai had still been willing to spend £160,000 on the seamer in January's IPL auction
Jason Behrendorff is out of the 2018 IPL
Jason Behrendorff has been ruled out of this year's Indian Premier League by injury and has been replaced in the Mumbai Indians squad by Mitchell McClenaghan.
Behrendorff has been struggling with a back problem which kept him out of the Big Bash but Mumbai had still been willing to spend £160,000 on the seamer in January's IPL auction.
However, on Monday it was announced that the 27-year-old will not be fit enough to feature for the Indians in the competition.
That has led to an IPL reprieve for McClenaghan, another left-arm paceman, who initially failed to land a contract for the tournament.
Mitchell McClenaghan has been signed by Mumbai
It means the New Zealander will join the Mumbai franchise for the fourth year in a row.
He was part of the Indians side which emerged as champions from the 2015 campaign.
An IPL statement read: "The IPL Technical Committee has approved a replacement for Jason Behrendorff - left-arm fast bowler from Australia - in the Mumbai Indians squad.
"Mr Behrendorff is suffering from a back problem and has been ruled out of the VIVO IPL 2018. In accordance with the Player Regulations, the Mumbai Indians were allowed to choose a replacement from the Registered and Available Player Pool (RAPP).
"The Mumbai Indians subsequently picked New Zealand’s Mitchell McClenaghan at his base price of INR 1 Cr."