With the spine of the team already sorted pre-auction, it is understandable that MI has a set strategy for the upcoming season.
Unlike few teams which revamped their entire roster, Mumbai Indians (MI) opted to retain their core and spent a substantial budget on it. They made the necessary additions in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) auction and from what it looks on paper, they have more or less covered almost all their bases.
With the spine of the team already sorted pre-auction, it is understandable that MI has a set strategy for the upcoming season. That said, some players will be an automatic pick in the playing XI while there will be a few names who might struggle to secure a spot.
In this article, we take a look at three such players, who might spend IPL 2025 mostly on the MI bench.
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Krishnan Shrijith is a promising wicketkeeper-batter from Karnataka and is known for his skills in limited-overs cricket, having built a solid reputation in the format. The 28-year-old has featured in 17 T20 matches, accumulating 393 runs at an average of 32.75 and a strike rate of 146.54.
Despite the promising credentials, Shrijith will find it extremely difficult to break into the MI playing XI. While Mumbai lacks a standout wicketkeeper-batter in their squad, they do have talented players like Ryan Rickleton and Robin Minz. Minz is expected to be the first-choice keeper and Ryan has also impressed in the SA20 league, making him a solid contender for the position which leaves Shrijith out for the season without a match appearance.
The English fast bowler was acquired by MI for INR 75 Lakhs during the mega auction. While he hasn’t had a significant impact in the IPL so far, Topley has demonstrated his ability to be effective with the new ball in T20Is.
However, MI has invested INR 12.50 Cr in Trent Boult, who plays a similar role. With Boult in the squad, it seems unlikely that Topley will get the opportunity to play ahead of him. While MI might try out Topley in some matches, he is expected to spend most of the season on the sidelines.
Mumbai Indians paid INR 75 Lakhs to secure the services of South African pacer Lizaad Williams. However, Williams appears to be more of a backup option for the team. With star bowlers such as Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, and Deepak Chahar already in the squad, the likelihood of Williams getting a chance to play is slim.
Even if one of the main pacers is unavailable, the team has another reliable backup in Reece Topley who is likely to get the preference ahead of the Proteas. As a result, Lizaad Williams is expected to spend most of IPL 2025 on the bench.
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