The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will be much bigger and better. In 2025 there will be a mega auction that is set to take place on the 24th and 25th of November 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The mega event will be held second time outside India. All the franchises have retained their required players on the side. However, they have to let go majority of the players due to the mega auction.
Out of the 1,574 candidates, 1,165 are Indian, while 409 are from overseas. These players comprise 320 capped cricketers, with 48 Indian and 272 foreign talents vying for franchises. We will dive into Mumbai Indians (MI) first, they have been the joint most successful side in the IPL history alongside Chennai Super Kings. The five-time IPL champions did not have the best of the 2024 season under their new captain Hardik Pandya.
They finished at the bottom of the table with 8 points winning only four games out of their 14. The management has been changed with Mahela Jayawardena has been back in the side as the head coach. They have retained Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Tilak Varma. With these five capped players retained, MI can use their one right-to-match option only on an uncapped player at the auction. We dive into the players MI can pick or can be suitable for the side in the auction.
Here are the 5 players Mumbai Indians can pick in IPL 2025 auction
5. Akash Madhwal
Madhwal has the ability to take wickets at any point of the innings is usually a popular option during the IPL auction. Akash Madhwal has amazed everyone throughout his two seasons in Mumbai. He joined the franchise in 2023 and had an immediate effect.
In his rookie season, he grabbed 14 wickets in eight games, the best of which was 5/5. Akash has taken 19 wickets for MI in 13 games. Madhwal might be the player Mumbai uses their RTM on at the major auction.
4. Washington Sundar
Sundar has not been at his best in the IPL and has been inconsistent at times. However, he was released by Sunrisers from last year, before to the auction. He will now have to test his luck in the bidding battle. Some cricket experts believe that Washington Sundar might start a bidding war amongst the teams. Washington’s recent performance has sparked a lot of controversy.
However, his IPL statistics are not particularly impressive. He only played two matches in the IPL 2024, taking one wicket and allowing 73 runs in five overs. However, Mumbai can make use of him wisely as they did Krunal Pandya previously. He has the ability to bowl with the new ball and bat up the order as well.
3. Marcus Stoinis
The Australian power hitting all-rounder has not been retained by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Marcus Stoinis has played some good innings for the LSG and the team he has been part of the IPL. Stoinis being released there will be franchises who be going after him with his ability to bowl in the middle overs and the death as well.
Mumbai Indians can try acquire his service as they have let go Tim David. Stoinis will be a very good option for the franchise in the middle order and he can be a handy bowler as David was not used as a bowler properly. The Aussie can deliver with the bat towards the end of the innings as well.
2. Trent Boult
Boult also joined MI in a trade move. He was traded from the Delhi Capitals before of the IPL 2020 season, and during his two-year stint with the Mumbai team, the 35-year-old left-arm Kiwi bowler played 29 games and removed 38 batters.
Boult is one of today’s top bowlers, noted for his ability to take wickets with the new ball. He spent the previous three seasons with the Rajasthan Royals and performed admirably, but the team released him. He was a successful member of the side which won the IPL in 2020 with his consistency of picking wicket with the new ball.
1. Jos Buttler
England’s white-ball skipper Jos Buttler made his IPL debut for MI in 2016 and spent a few seasons with the Mumbai-based team under Rohit Sharma’s guidance. He joined the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2018 super auctions and has scored 3055 runs for the team in 83 matches over the past seven years. Despite playing a significant role in RR’s success in recent years.
Buttler was not retained by the Jaipur-based franchise and will now be available in the IPL 2025 super auctions, where MI might sign him. After parting ways with Ishan Kishan, Buttler will be a good wicketkeeper and opening batter option for MI.
