Mumbai Indians, tied with CSK for the most IPL titles, faced a forgettable last season marred by controversy. The IPL 2024 ended on a sour note for them. Hardik Pandya‘s return to his former team as captain didn’t go well. The decision to replace beloved Rohit Sharma deeply upset many fans.
However, things are different this season. Hardik, who was booed everywhere he went, has now played a key role in winning two ICC trophies for India. He will be captaining Suryakumar Yadav, India’s current T20 captain, as well as Jasprit Bumrah, who briefly led the Test team and the current ODI captain in Rohit.
Akash Ambani’s franchise retained most of its core in Bumrah, Hardik, Rohit, and Surya Kumar. also retained the two batters who impressed the most, Tilak Verma and Naman Dhir. After Ishan Kishan’s departure, MI had to find an opener to bat alongside Rohit, and it looks like they have found one in Ryan Rickelton. The young South African had an excellent SA20, winning the cup for the first time for the same franchise.
MI added another explosive batter, Will Jacks, from RCB. In the bowling department, Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar, along with Bumrah, can dismantle any batting lineup. For spin, Mitchell Santner and Mujeeb ur-Rahman are valuable additions. But will this be enough for MI to move past last season and reclaim their glory? We’ll soon find out.
Weaknesses which could prevent Mumbai Indians from winning their record 6th IPL title
Despite having a balanced team for IPL 2025, MI must be cautious about a few factors. One key concern is player synergy, which was a major reason for their failure last season. If Hardik Pandya can manage big names like Rohit, Surya, and Bumrah, they have the potential to go far in the tournament.
Another major concern for Mumbai is the availability of their star bowler, Bumrah, who has been out of action since January. It is still unclear if he will play all the matches this season. If the 31-year-old is fit and plays all 14 games, MI will likely be in the top half of the points table.
Mumbai Indians’ biggest concern is Surya’s form, as he hasn’t been at his best for the past few months. His last T20 international half-century came five months ago against Bangladesh. If he manages to regain his form, it will be a nightmare for other teams. Overall MI looks like a very strong contender to lift yet another IPL trophy.