Mumbai Indians were eliminated from the 2025 IPL after losing to Punjab Kings in the second qualifier on Sunday (June 2).
Mumbai Indians had won only one of their first five games, but scripted a remarkable turnaround, finishing fourth on the table with 16 points from 14 games. The comeback was scripted largely by Jasprit Bumrah, who picked up 18 wickets at an average of 17.55, and Suryakumar Yadav, who made 717 runs at a strike rate of 167.91.
But, who should they persist with and who should they replace for the next season?
Keep
Rohit Sharma has age catching up on him - he will be 39 during next year’s IPL - but produced his best season in nine years, making 418 runs, the most he has since 2016. He struck at 149.28, also his second-best in any season ever.
Suryakumar Yadav, the T20I skipper, will be one of the first retentions. He made five fifties and scored 717 runs, the most he has in a single season of the IPL.
Naman Dhir played several handy knocks in the edition and struck at 182.60. The right-hand middle-order batter, Dhir, has become a crucial member of the line-up and should be retained by the franchise.
Ryan Rickelton left an instant impression in his first season of the IPL, making 388 runs at the top of the order. He also ensured MI had a left-right opening combination, and was also the wicketkeeper in the XI.
Hardik Pandya sparked a remarkable turnaround, both for himself and his team. He picked up 14 wickets and made 224 runs at a strike rate of 163.50, lifting his team from their tenth-place finish last season.
Mitchell Santner is the leader of the spin attack in the side. He had a decent season, finishing with 10 wickets, including best figures of 3-11 in the must-win game against Delhi.
Tilak Varma, another home-grown talent from Mumbai Indians, was retired out in their game against LSG, but made a strong comeback, with a 29-ball 56 and a 33-ball 59 in the next two games. He has great potential and is the kind of player who could become a MI great.
Will Jacks did not fully live up to his potential, scoring 233 runs at a strike rate of 135.46, but he was sensational in his maiden IPL season last year and was much sought-after in the auction as well.
Ashwani Kumar, the left-arm seamer, was one of the finds of the season. He ticked all the right boxes throughout the season, which began with figures of 4-24, the best for an Indian on IPL debut. The Mumbai team showed confidence in him in critical situations, and he, more often than not, rose to the occasion.
Trent Boult brought in the much-needed experience in the Mumbai team, which aided Bumrah and allowed the skipper to use the Indian seamer more judiciously.
Jasprit Bumrah ended with an economy rate of 6.67 in a tournament where the average run rate per innings was 9.15. That’s enough to tell you about his genius.
Vignesh Puthur made his T20 debut in the IPL and bagged 3-32 in his first game. The left-arm wrist spinner was injured after just five games, but has done enough to get a retention.
Corbin Bosch, the South African all-rounder, came in as a replacement player, and did well in the limited opportunities he got: 47 runs at a strike rate of 146 and one wicket at an economy rate of 7.85.
Eitherway
Krishnan Shrijith, the wicketkeeper, can be retained as Mumbai Indians will need a backup in the squad. They are likely to choose between him and Robin Minz.
Robin Minz, the left-handed wicketkeeper, played two games for the side but made only six runs, and Mumbai might look for more reliable back-ups.
Satyanarayan Raju is a right-arm seamer unearthed by MI this year. He played two games, but had poor outings: average 53, economy 13.25. Whether he gets retained or not might depend on how much he improves in domestic cricket by the time the mini-auction rolls around.
Karn Sharma might not have set the IPL on fire, but he is one of the few experienced spin options in the squad Age, however, is not on his side.
Reece Topley played just one game, but Mumbai could hold onto him as he brings international experience, and can also be a decent back-up in case of injuries.
Allah Ghazanfar is a mystery spinner who has an impressive T20 record and was ruled out of the season due to injury. But he has played only four games in franchise cricket, the most recent of which was against Leicestershire last week. MI didn't get to see him enough.
Release
Deepak Chahar did not have the greatest season, conceding 9.17 runs an over. This was the first time since 2017 that he gave more than nine runs an over. Add to that his frequent injury woes and MI might look try to look ahead.
Bevon Jacobs has played only 20 T20 games, but did not get an opportunity this season. There will be plenty of overseas batting options at the mini-auction, and Mumbai are likely to explore them.
Raj Bawa does not have the greatest T20 record, and with Mumbai already having plenty of middle-order big-hitters, he could be released.
Lizaad Williams did not get a chance in the IPL this year, and with MI already having several fast bowling options, he’s set to be released.
Arjun Tendulkar has been with the side since 2022 but has been left out more than he has played.
Mujeeb ur Rahman’s IPL appearances have been limited of late, and he has played just two games since the start of 2021. In his solitary game this season, he gave 28 runs in two overs.
Richard Gleeson, Jonny Bairstow, and Charith Asalanka came in as replacement players after the IPL resumed following a break. The tweaked replacement rules mean that these players won't be eligible for retention ahead of the next auction.
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