IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians Preview – Squad Analysis of MI And Starting XI

Mumbai Indians (MI) ended last season in tenth place, finishing at the bottom of the league with just four wins in 14 matches. Their campaign was overshadowed by hostile receptions for new captain Hardik Pandya, both at the Wankhede and across the country, amid reports of unrest within the dressing room.

Best Likely XI for IPL 2025

1. Rohit Sharma
2. Ryan Rickelton* (wk)
3. Tilak Varma
4. Suryakumar Yadav
5. Hardik Pandya (capt)
6. Robin Minz
7. Naman Dhir
8. Deepak Chahar
9. Corbin Bosch/Mujeeb Ur Rahman*
10. Mitchell Santner*
11. Karn Sharma
12. Trent Boult*

Full Squad

Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Tilak Varma, Jasprit Bumrah, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mitchell Santner, Ryan Rickelton, Reece Topley, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Vignesh Puthur, Bevon Jacobs, Satyanarayana Raju, Raj Bawa, Ashwani Kumar, Arjun Tendulkar, Corbin Bosch and Krishnan Srijith.

Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2025 Setup: Fresh Start For Them

A year on, Mumbai Indians appear to have resolved their internal challenges. Jasprit Bumrah was their most valuable retention, while Rohit Sharma guided India to two ICC titles in the past year. Hardik Pandya has regained fan support following his contributions to India’s T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy victories, and Suryakumar Yadav has been entrusted with India’s T20I captaincy.

This season, MI has bolstered their pace attack by re-signing Trent Boult and securing Deepak Chahar, though they will have to navigate the initial matches without Bumrah due to injury. The addition of Mitchell Santner, who recently led New Zealand to the Champions Trophy final, further strengthens their squad.

However, most of their overseas signings lack significant IPL experience. South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton is expected to partner Rohit at the top, while Corbin Bosch and Bevon Jacobs from New Zealand are making their debuts. Reece Topley has limited exposure, having played just five matches in the last two seasons, while Will Jacks featured in his first IPL last year. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, despite missing most of 2024 due to injury, showcased his form in SA20 and returns to the league after a three-year absence.

Balancing the bowling attack in Bumrah’s absence will be MI’s primary challenge early in the season. While Boult and Chahar can handle the powerplay, the death overs remain an area of concern.

One intriguing dynamic this season is the leadership structure. Hardik Pandya now leads players he previously played under—Rohit and Suryakumar—along with Bumrah, who himself captained India recently. The MI setup presents a blend of past, present, and future leaders, including rising star Tilak Varma. Despite past tensions, the team remains a professional and cohesive unit.

Last year, Pandya faced relentless criticism for replacing Rohit as captain, enduring boos from home and away crowds as MI struggled through a disappointing campaign. But the narrative has shifted—his recent international success has solidified his reputation, and he enters this IPL with newfound admiration.

Mumbai Indians have reached the playoffs only once in the last four seasons, in 2023, while enduring two last-place finishes in 2022 and 2024.

Suryakumar Yadav enters the IPL on the back of a poor T20 run. His recent outings against England saw him register scores of 2, 0, 14, 12, and 0, while his Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign was underwhelming, with a strike rate of just 132.

On the bowling front, Trent Boult arrives in fine form, having been named Player of the Final in MI Cape Town’s SA20 title-winning campaign. He finished the tournament with 11 wickets at an economy rate of 6.94. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, another SA20 standout, claimed 14 wickets for Paarl Royals while maintaining a tidy economy of 6.77.

With a revamped squad and Pandya’s resurgence, Mumbai Indians look primed to reclaim their dominance. If they play to their potential, they could once again be the team to beat in IPL 2025.

Watch Out For

Bevon Jacobs

At just 22, Bevon Jacobs had played fewer than ten T20 matches in New Zealand’s domestic circuit when Mumbai Indians secured him at the mega auction in November 2024. During the 2023-24 Super Smash, he showcased his explosive batting with a strike rate of 188.73 for Canterbury. This season, after returning to Auckland, he amassed 263 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 140.64, highlighted by a 90 off 56 balls against Northern Districts.

Earlier this month, Jacobs hit a major career milestone, registering his first century in senior cricket—a commanding 157 against Central Districts in first-class cricket—just before departing for India for the IPL.

MI also included him in their ILT20 side, MI Emirates, where he had limited opportunities, facing only 27 balls across three innings for 26 runs. The challenge now is whether he can translate his domestic success to Indian conditions, a test that often determines the fate of promising young talents in the IPL.

Deepak Chahar

Injury limited Deepak Chahar to just eight appearances for CSK last season, where he struggled for form, managing only five wickets at an economy rate of 8.59. However, Wankhede’s conditions—offering more pace, bounce, and swing than the M Chidambaram Stadium—could be better suited to his strengths.

With Jasprit Bumrah set to miss the opening few matches due to a back injury, MI will be counting on Chahar to remain fit and deliver breakthroughs in the powerplay, a role crucial to their bowling strategy this season.

Rohit Sharma

Despite an 18-year-long career in international and IPL cricket, Rohit Sharma finds himself under intense scrutiny over the next couple of months. The former MI captain and current India skipper had a solid outing last season, scoring 417 runs at an average of 32 and a strike rate of 150. Yet, he remains a central figure for MI—not just as a reliable opener but also as a player whose form could have broader implications.

His performances in the IPL will be closely watched, as they may influence the selectors’ decisions for India’s upcoming five-Test series against England. While T20 form isn’t typically a benchmark for Test selection, in Rohit’s case, it could still hold significant weight.

Ryan Rickelton

Ryan Rickelton heads into IPL 2025 on the back of an impressive SA20 season, generating significant excitement. The 28-year-old has even drawn comparisons to Quinton de Kock, thanks to his aggressive left-handed batting and wicketkeeping abilities.

His potential opening partnership with Rohit Sharma could be a key highlight for MI this season, offering the team a dynamic start at the top of the order. If he adapts well to Indian conditions, Rickelton could be one of the breakout stars of the tournament.

Concern

Bumrah’s Absence and MI’s Squad Adjustments

Jasprit Bumrah has been dealing with back issues since India’s tour of Australia in January. He sat out the Champions Trophy and underwent rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. As a result, he is expected to miss MI’s opening matches before rejoining the squad in April. Managing his workload will be crucial for both MI and the BCCI, especially with India’s five-Test tour of England looming in June-July.

Meanwhile, MI has made a couple of squad adjustments, bringing in Corbin Bosch as a replacement for the injured Lizaad Williams and signing Mujeeb Ur Rahman in place of AM Ghazanfar.

Fixture Challenges and Key Home Ground Stat

Mumbai Indians have a history of slow starts, and this season’s schedule doesn’t do them any favors. They won’t play at Wankhede until March 31, 10 days into the campaign. Given their tendency to struggle early, this is far from an ideal draw. Their first two matches are against Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans—both strong at home—making it crucial for MI to secure at least one win to avoid another poor start.

The real test comes in early and mid-April when MI play three of four matches at home. This stretch will be vital in determining their place in the standings, giving them an opportunity to build momentum before the business end of the tournament.

One of the starkest contrasts in MI’s performances is reflected in Suryakumar Yadav’s numbers. Over the last two seasons, he has been prolific at Wankhede, scoring 577 runs in 13 matches, but has struggled away, managing just 373 runs in 14 games. As India’s T20I captain and a 360-degree stroke player, Surya will be eager to bridge this gap and make an impact across venues in IPL 2025.

Read More: IPL 2025: Top 5 Batters with Highest Individual Scores in IPL History

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