Mumbai’s first MLBx night is taking shape as a cross-sport home run contest with plenty of star power in the dugout. The modified co-ed three-on-three event will bring former Major League sluggers, elite softball talent and leading Indian cricketers together at Mumbai Football Arena inside the Andheri Sports Complex on Oct. 24.
The central question is a good one for any fan gathering around the cage: which group adjusts fastest when the bats come out—big league veterans, softball’s top power hitters, or cricket players accustomed to sending a ball into the stands by another route? MLBx combines home run hitting with defensive challenges, and its Mumbai debut will put those disciplines on the same field.
India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav will be paired with former Major League outfielder Nick Swisher, an original MLBx participant, and AUSL two-way standout Rachel Garcia. It is a lineup built around different versions of athletic versatility: Yadav’s bat speed and cricket instincts, Swisher’s major league power background, and Garcia’s ability to affect games from both sides in softball.
Former MLB first baseman Adrián González will lead another three-player group alongside Jordan Woolery, who made her AUSL debut this season, and wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma. Sharma was part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 2025 IPL championship squad, captained the Emerging India team at the 2025 Asia Cup Rising Stars event and earned Asian Games gold in 2022.
More cricket names join the MLBx card
Jake Arrieta, a World Series winner with the Cubs and a familiar face in MLBx, will team with Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur. Thakur has won two IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings and appeared on India squads that captured the Asia Cup in 2018 and 2023. Their third teammate has not yet been announced.
Jonny Gomes, the two-time World Series champion and another MLBx veteran, has also been assigned a high-profile cricket partner in Kashvee Gautam. Gautam became the first Indian woman to claim all 10 wickets in an innings in a BCCI domestic competition, and she later set the record as the most expensive uncapped Indian player in Women’s Premier League auction history.
MLB sees Mumbai as a natural place to stage the format’s first event in India, pointing to the city’s deep sporting energy and entertainment scene. The aim is to give Indian fans a baseball experience that feels less like a conventional game and more like a shared sporting showcase, with cricket, softball and MLB personalities all working from the same roster sheet.
Additional roster announcements are still to come. Tickets for MLBx: Mumbai are available through BookMyShow, with the Oct. 24 program set to offer a fresh test of power, coordination and a little competitive pride across three bat-and-ball worlds.
