Mumbai Indians (MI) must be disappointed with their performances in the previous cycle. They had one of the strongest squads in the competition, especially the Indian core, but couldn’t churn out consistent shows.
Given the quality of players, they would want to retain their core, but it is an arduous task, for the rules are tricky. They will be tempted to leave out a few players and should be prudent with their choices.
Whom should they retain and whom should they release heading into the IPL 2025 Auction? Let’s find out.
Jasprit Bumrah: Jasprit Bumrah should be MI’s first retention without any iota of doubt. He is an all-phase bowler with a proven track record and is a dream player for any side. He not only restricts runs but also provides breakthroughs whenever the team wants.
If he comes into the auction, Bumrah will become the most expensive player in the league, and leaving out the biggest match-winner doesn’t make any sense. He should fetch more amount than Hardik Pandya. So, the best thing would be to give him whatever he wants.
Hardik Pandya: Hardik Pandya should be the second retention. He provides ample value in every department. He can be flexible with his batting position and has strong attacking skillsets against pace and spin.
Further, Pandya can also bowl in different phases, especially in the powerplay and middle overs. He can swing the new ball and drag his lengths back for the middle overs while providing decent death-over value. His fitness concerns are the biggest reason to keep him at No.2 in the retention list, below Bumrah.
Suryakumar Yadav: The finest T20 batter in India, Suryakumar Yadav should be the third retention of Mumbai Indians. Apart from being a solid player of pace and spin, he can also be flexible with his batting position and bat anywhere in the top five. He is a runaway match-winner, and his auction value will be massive.
He will easily fetch more than the retention slab, and MI might not get him back if they decide to let him come to the auction. Almost every team will go after him, so his retention should be a no-brainer. He was their best batter in the previous cycle.
Rohit Sharma: Rohit Sharma is an interesting case. If we look at him performance-wise, he doesn’t deserve a retention. Further, he doesn’t play this format for India anymore, which means he would find it hard to get into the T20 groove.
However, he is too big a unit to leave, especially when they can convince him to settle at a slightly lower price. It’s simple – if he comes into the auction, teams will break the bank for him, and MI won’t be able to get him back. It’s hard to look beyond his achievements for the franchise, and he also showed encouraging improvement with the bat in the previous year.
Also Read: RCB Retention List and Strategy for IPL 2025 Auction: Predicting Retained & Released Players
Nehal Wadhera: Nehal Wadhera has been among the most exciting young players in the league. He is a middle-order batter who can bash spin at will. Being a LHB, he brings a different dimension to the batting unit.
He can be an ideal guy for No.4 or 5 and can act as an RHB-splitter, and his role can be to counter spin and shield pace hitters. Further, he can also bowl a bit of leg-spin, making him a complete package. His auction value will surely be more than INR 4 crores, so MI can simply retain him in the uncapped category and use him as a long-term investment since he is only 24.
Tilak Varma: Tilak Varma might be among the best performers in the previous cycle, but MI will be tempted to leave him out. If MI decide to retain him and make it six out of six retentions, they would have exhausted INR 79 crores in just six players. It won’t allow them the flexibility in the auction.
They will have several slots to fill and find backups, which might not be possible in the remaining INR 41 crores. It’s nothing to do with the quality; Tilak is as good as anyone, but the auction dynamics are bound to be harsh on teams like MI. They should let Tilak come into the auction arena, and if his price is reasonable, they can use RTM or even re-bid for him.
Tim David: Tim David’s release is due to two main reasons. One is similar to Tilak’s case – MI have a problem of plenty. They are struggling to squeeze their top choices, how can they opt for David?
Further, David’s performances were nowhere close to the expectations. Sure, he does a tough job of batting in the lower order, but MI still wanted a lot more, especially when they used an overseas slot. MI can get him back from the auction if they feel the need as his price won’t be as high as the retention cap.
Ishan Kishan: Ishan Kishan was the most expensive player in the IPL 2022 auction, fetching a whopping INR 15.25 crores. However, the performances weren’t close to the expectations. Maybe spending such a massive amount wasn’t worth it.
MI have several better performers to retain. Unlike the previous auction, Kishan’s price won’t be as high this time. So, spending a sum equal to the retention slab or using a precious slot on him won’t be wise, especially after his recent performances.
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