MI IPL Auction 2025 Review: Mumbai Indians assemble strong Indian contingent but unproven overseas players a worry

Mumbai Indians (MI) went to the mega-auction knowing they had a stellar and glittering star cast already tied down and were, thus, not as active as some of the other franchises. They still plugged the holes they would have wanted to by bagging Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult, two potent new-ball options.

They were also swift to swoop in on Will Jacks after it became clear the Royal Challengers Bengaluru did not want him, with Allah Ghazanfar and Mitchell Santner providing them overseas spin-bowling alternatives.

IPL Auction 2025 |  Complete list of sold and unsold players from two-day mega auction

Robin Minz, who they targeted at last year’s auction, was also acquired and he provides them with a wicket-keeping option. Naman Dhir was bought back via the RTM and Arjun Tendulkar also made his way back to the franchise.

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MI 2025 Squad: Biggest strength

Their Indian contingent. Resembling a superhero cast - Marvel or DC, take your pick! Bumrah is a genius. Rohit Sharma is swashbuckling at the top. Suryakumar Yadav is arguably the best T20 batter on the planet. Tilak Varma has two centuries in his two most recent India appearances, and Hardik Pandya, after last year, has a point to prove, not to mention him being a world-class all-rounder.

They now have Chahar in the mix too, who can be injury-prone but is a tested IPL performer, also boasting title-winning experience, making their fast-bowling squadron enviable, with Boult and Chahar only adding to Bumrah’s mastery.

𝐈𝐏𝐋 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 sathi तय्यार 🔥#MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #TATAIPLAuction pic.twitter.com/6j7O2VkVcK

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 26, 2024

Chahar and Boult’s presence now allows MI to use Bumrah’s overs more judiciously and perhaps hold him back for the death overs and for moments where a breakthrough is paramount – a luxury they did not quite have in 2024 and one they could not fashion with any sort of regularity since 2022, despite attempting to partner Jofra Archer and Bumrah.

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MI 2025 Squad: Biggest weakness

Their largely unproven overseas contingent. Jacks, who they snatched from under the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s nose, is the only one to have played a decent chunk of an IPL season; the next best bet being Santner, who was with the Chennai Super Kings for years but only featured intermittently.

Welcome to the FA𝐌𝐈LY, @MitchellSantner 💙#MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #TATAIPLAuction pic.twitter.com/1JgWJEvfMN

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 26, 2024

Ghazanfar, Afghanistan’s latest mystery spinning sensation, could become the next Rashid Khan, but the IPL, usually unforgiving, might be a steep learning curve for the teenager. Bevan-John Jacobs and Ryan Rickelton have also never played a game in the IPL; the former being a surprise pick.

Mumbai will also have to guard against the negativity that surrounded them after Pandya’s ascension to captaincy. The retentions and the slabs at which the players were retained might have helped, although that will have to come through definitively on the field.

MI at auction: What could they have done differently?

Well, not much. They only had Rs 45 crore in their kitty, meaning that they had to cool off on bidding for several capped Indian players and a few high-profile foreign stars. With the benefit of hindsight, they could have maybe tried for middle-order dashers of Glenn Phillips and Rovman Powell’s ilk, especially considering both were sold for their base price.

Kamindu Mendis at Rs 0.75 crore could also have been a bargain buy with his ambidextrousness and power-hitting. Adam Zampa, who Sunrisers Hyderabad bought for Rs 2.4 crore, might have been another option.

MI: Early prediction for IPL 2025

It was a baptism by fire for Hardik in 2024 and despite making his IPL captaincy debut for the franchise, he was booed at the Wankhede Stadium by fans .

Hardik Pandya on being retained as Mumbai Indians captain | 'It means the world to me'

A similar dynamic is in play – with the current India T20I captain not leading the Mumbai Indians – but both MI and Hardik have had time to dissect what happened and ensure it does not happen again. Which is pertinent because on paper, Mumbai have a team to go deep into the tournament.

MI: Probable XI/XII

Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (captain), Naman Dhir, Robin Minz (wk), Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Karn Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Ryan Rickelton/Allah Ghazanfar.

IPL Auction 2025: Players purchased by MI

Trent Boult (Rs 12.50 crore), Robin Minz (Rs 65 lakh), Naman Dhir (Rs 5.25 crore via RTM), Karn Sharma (Rs 50 lakh), Ryan Rickelton (Rs 1 crore), Deepak Chahar (Rs 9.25 crore), Allah Ghazanfar (Rs 4.80 crore), Will Jacks (Rs 5.25 crore), Ashwani Kumar (Rs 30 lakh), Mitchell Santner (Rs 2 crore), Reece Topley (Rs 75 lakh), Krishnan Shrijith (Rs 30 lakh), Raj Bawa (Rs 30 lakh), S Raju (Rs 30 lakh), Bevon Jacobs (Rs 30 lakh), Arjun Tendulkar (Rs 30 lakh), Lizaad Williams (Rs 75 lakh), Vignesh Puthur (Rs 30 lakh).

MI full squad for IPL 2025 

Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Robin Minz, Naman Dhir, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Deepak Chahar, Allah Ghazanfar, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Krishnan Shrijith, Raj Bawa, S Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams, Vignesh Puthur.