MI will hope to brush past the horrors of IPL 2024.
Mumbai Indians (MI) retained their top stars and the core of the team ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) auction. With the likes of Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Tilak Varma retained, the MI management built the rest of the team around them.
Going into the new season, MI will hope to brush past the horrors of IPL 2024 where they finished at the bottom of the table. They already have gun players in their roster and have managed to bolster it further with more strategic additions.
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The MI lineup packs incredible firepower, especially their top 7. Let’s analyse what will be their roles and how they will contribute in the upcoming IPL 2025 season.
Rohit Sharma has heralded a reputation for being one of the most explosive batters at the top of the order. With 6,628 runs from 252 innings, he is the third-highest run-scorer in IPL history and will be relied upon to go full throttle and make the most of the powerplay overs.
The first Adivasi (tribal) player in IPL, Robin Minz gives MI the LHB-RHB batting combination, opening the innings alongside Rohit Sharma. Touted as the ‘Chris Gayle of Jharkhand’, Minz is a like-for-like replacement for Ishan Kishan.
A hard-hitting left-hander, Minz missed his IPL debut last season due to a freak bike accident. The uncapped wicketkeeper-batter will thus be highly motivated to make an impact in his maiden season.
Tilak Varma’s journey is another example of Mumbai Indians’ long-standing commitment to developing young talents. Joining the team in 2022, Varma has witnessed a steady rise in his growth curve.
Varma has impressed with his consistency, and particularly his explosive batting skills. MI will count on him to change the gears of the innings when he comes out to bat in the middle.
The Indian T20I captain has consistently been one of the standout performers for the team. Known for his dynamic 360-degree batting style, he is an essential player for Mumbai Indians.
If the top order struggles, Surya possesses the skills to stabilize the innings and then take control, leading the charge for his side.
Will Jacks is an explosive addition to the MI middle order, much like they used Tim David until last season. Although Jacks has played just one season in the IPL, he was aggressively bid for by the MI think tank, splurging INR 5.25 crores on him.
The 26-year-old English batting all-rounder boasts sheer power and brute and has all the capabilities to motor away any sort of bowling attack when set. He also offers a useful option by bowling a few overs with his off-break deliveries.
Hardik Pandya is a proven contender with both the bat and the ball. He has the ability to finish matches and make crucial breakthroughs by taking wickets. Nevertheless, the MI captaincy and replacing Rohit had definitely taken its toll, as was evident from his and the team’s performance last season.
He has recently looked in good touch in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), playing some explosive innings. Pandya will hope to continue his form in the IPL 2025 season as he has a task cut out to live up to his lofty standards.
Bought for INR 2 crores, spin-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner is a good addition to complement their skipper and seaming all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The Kiwi’s accurate, defensive bowling style, combined with his ability to deliver under pressure could come in handy for MI on smaller grounds.
Additionally, Santner’s batting prowess shouldn’t be overlooked, as he is a reliable option lower down the order when quick, impactful runs are required.
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