NEW DELHI: The Mumbai Indians (MI), one of the most successful franchises in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, are set to enter the 2025 IPL mega auction with a clear strategy and a strong financial position. Scheduled to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24-25, the auction is expected to be highly competitive as teams look to revamp their squads for the upcoming season.
MI, who endured a disappointing 2024 season finishing last in the 10-team league, will have Rs 45 crore remaining in their auction purse. With five IPL titles under their belt, MI will be looking to strengthen their squad by adding key players across different departments. They also hold one strategic Right to Match (RTM) card, allowing them to potentially retain a player by matching the highest bid during the auction.
Retained core players
In preparation for the mega auction, MI confirmed the retention of five key players who form the backbone of their team. These retentions have used up a significant portion of their total auction budget of Rs 120 crore. Here’s a breakdown of the retained players and the amounts spent:
- Jasprit Bumrah: Retained for Rs 18 crore
- Suryakumar Yadav: Retained for Rs 16.35 crore
- Hardik Pandya: Retained for Rs 16.35 crore
- Rohit Sharma: Retained for Rs 16.30 crore
- Tilak Varma: Retained for Rs 8 crore
This retention cost MI a total of Rs 75 crore, leaving them with Rs 45 crore to spend at the auction. These players bring a wealth of experience and talent, with Bumrah as the bowling spearhead and Suryakumar Yadav, who is also India’s T20I captain, leading their dynamic batting lineup. Notably, Rohit Sharma, who recently retired from T20 Internationals after leading India to a T20 World Cup win, remains a pivotal figure for MI despite stepping down as captain. His leadership duties have been handed over to Hardik Pandya, who returned to MI after a stint as Gujarat Titans’ captain.
Remaining purse, auction strategy and key slots to fill
With Rs 45 crore in hand, MI will look to target crucial areas in their squad. They will be aiming to rebuild after a poor 2024 season, focusing on reinforcing both their batting depth and bowling attack. The presence of an RTM card gives them added flexibility to bring back a former player who might attract high bids.
After five retentions, MI have a minimum of 13 slots and a maximum of 20 slots available to fill.
Mumbai Indians will have several important slots to fill during the auction, with a focus likely on securing few world-class overseas talents and uncapped Indian cricketers. Additionally, MI could look to bolster their bowling unit to support Jasprit Bumrah, particularly with spinners and pacers who can adapt to different conditions.
Having retained their core group of stars, including their new skipper Hardik Pandya and the explosive Suryakumar Yadav, MI now have the challenge of finding the right balance in the rest of their squad to return to their winning ways in 2025.
