With the deadline to retain players ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League fast approaching, here’s the list of cricketers Mumbai Indians should retain.
Every team must announce its list of retentions by October 31. Each side can retain a maximum of six players, including through the Right to Match option. All the rules and regulations for retention can be read here.
Mumbai Indians, despite their performance last season, have one of the strongest sides on paper. They have an enviable core group and the franchise will have several dilemmas over their auction strategy.
What happens to the Big Four?
Mumbai has three of the best current Indian players in Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya. Each brings with them unique skill sets and are indispensable. Hardik was also the captain of the team last season, after a much-headlined trade from Gujarat Titans that saw him displace the successful Rohit Sharma as captain of the team.
Suryakumar is India’s current T20I skipper and along with deciding the order of retentions, Mumbai will also need to ponder over their decision of the captain for the 2025 season.
Rohit Sharma’s will be an interesting decision. He led India to the T20 World Cup trophy this year before announcing his retirement from the international format. Rohit has not been able to leave much of an impact in the IPL of late. Before the 2024 edition, he last averaged over 25 and struck more than 130 in 2016, but his current aggressive approach will tempt Mumbai to hold on to him, despite him allegedly suggesting he would not want to continue with the team.
