While Real Madrid sign Galacticos, the Mumbai Indians (MI) have built a massive reputation for finding talent and making them into world-beaters. They had a world-beating team in the IPL 2025 as well, perhaps the most complete in the entire tournament. But did they play like the best team in the tournament? Absolutely not.
MI started on the worst possible note. Just like every season, they continued the trend of losing their first match. This time, they lost four of the first five games. The batting just didn’t click in the first few games, and the result cost them in the end as well. MI had all the chance to end up in the top two but failed to do so.
It was remarkable for them to have a turnaround after such a difficult start. Seven wins in eight games confirmed their berth in the top four. In fact, they even had a chance to qualify in the top two but failed to do so after losing to their eventual hunters, the Punjab Kings (PBKS).
MI retained and released players in IPL 2025
Retained: Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma
Released: Ishan Kishan, Tim David, Gerald Coetzee, Piyush Chawla, Harvik Desai, Vishnu Vinod, Naman Dhir, Shivalik Sharma, Nehal Wadhera, Dewald Brevis, Shreyas Gopal, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shams Mulani, Romario Shepherd, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Arjun Tendulkar, Nuwan Thushara, Luke Wood, Jason Behrendorff, Dilshan Madushanka.
Mumbai Indians full squad for IPL 2025
Ryan Rickelton (w), Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Karn Sharma, Ashwani Kumar, Corbin Bosch, Raj Bawa, Satyanarayana Raju, Reece Topley, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Krishnan Shrijith, Raghu Sharma, Arjun Tendulkar, Robin Minz, Bevon Jacobs, Jonny Bairstow (temporary signing), Richard Gleeson (temporary signing), Charith Asalanka (temporary signing)
Mumbai Indians review (8/10)
The Mumbai Indians (MI) had the best IPL squad. But they didn’t play like that. Rohit Sharma did have his best IPL campaign in the last eight years but he averaged less than 30 this year. Ryan Rickelton was a positive, though. Thankfully for MI, Suryakumar Yadav dropped an all-timer, hammering a whopping 717-run season, the most by any number four batter in any T20 tournament! He scored a 25+ run in all 16 innings SKY played – unreal consistency.
On the flip side, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Will Jacks, who played almost all the games, didn’t accumulate on a level that was superb. In total, the three batters scored a combined 800 runs in 557 balls. This equals to a strike rate around 138, which is not a high level at which current cricket is getting played. A lot of pressure fell on the shoulders of Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir, who was one of the biggest positives for MI.
Without Bumrah, MI still lack potency
Meanwhile, on the bowling front, it was Jasprit Bumrah or nothing. While Trent Boult (22 wickets) took the most wickets for the franchise, it was Bumrah’s mastery that led to many wins for MI. He was a real cheat code for Pandya, who even admitted the luck for MI that they have someone like Bumrah.
| Inns | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 18 | 4/22 | 17.55 | 6.67 | 15.7 |
Bumrah was on a different level altogether; other MI bowlers were a bit inconsistent. Bumrah’s economy at IPL 2025 was 6.67, that too, after his ordinary game in Qualifier 2. Meanwhile, other MI bowlers combined had an economy of 9.20, indicating Pandya had nowhere to go other than the world’s greatest bowler in a situation of crisis.
Hence, the biggest moment in Qualifier 2 was Josh Inglis accumulated 20 runs off a Bumrah over and sent MI on the backfoot.
Highs for MI at IPL 2025
- Ryan Rickelton – A long-term asset
- The legend of Jasprit Bumrah continues to grow
- Rohit Sharma’s best-ever IPL season in 8 years
- Suryakumar Yadav scored the most-ever runs for MI in a season
- Naman Dhir – a genuine talent
- Ashwini Kumar and Vignesh Puthur – more scouting brilliance
- Finally, a world-class spinner in Mitchell Santner
Lows for MI at IPL 2025
- Hardik Pandya’s captaincy was ordinary
- Pandya, the batter, was ordinary
- Underutilisation of KL Shrijith & Bevon Jacobs
- Deepak Chahar’s most-expensive campaign
- Tilak Varma had an ordinary season
- Will Jacks wasn’t extraordinary; was only decent
- Overdependency on Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav
What next for MI in IPL 2026?
MI has most of the basis covered. But what they really need is a bowler who can control the flow of runs outside the powerplay. While Trent Boult is still a better powerplay bowler, MI need another wrecker-in-chief. Other than that, they need a gun overseas all-rounder to give competition to Will Jacks, alongside some more potent Indian spin-bowling options to round up the team.
