Mumbai: Mumbai Indians (MI) have reaffirmed Hardik Pandya’s captaincy for the upcoming IPL 2025 season, despite a challenging IPL 2024 where MI finished at the bottom of the table for only the second time in 17 seasons. In an announcement on Thursday, MI confirmed the retention of key players Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Hardik Pandya ahead of the 2025 mega auction.
The retention process was a notable accomplishment for MI, with the franchise securing these prominent players for a combined total of INR 75 crore, leaving them INR 45 crore to further build their squad during the auction.
Jasprit Bumrah, retained for INR 18 crore, emerged as MI’s highest-paid player for the first time in his career, followed by Hardik and Suryakumar at INR 16.35 crore each. Rohit was retained at INR 16.30 crore, while Tilak’s retention cost INR 8 crore.
Reflecting on his position as MI’s fourth retention, Rohit commented, “Since I’ve retired from the format, this is the ideal spot for me. Players who represent the national team should be prioritized, and I am content with this arrangement.”
Hardik, in a video message from MI, expressed his gratitude to the franchise and fans. “This journey began with MI, and every season feels special. We remember the championships from 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020, and we’re coming back stronger in 2025. We are five individuals—five fingers, one fist—ready to take on the challenges together.”
Despite facing a tough season where he scored only 216 runs at a strike rate of 143 and took 11 wickets with an economy of 10.75, Hardik remains optimistic about MI’s prospects.
MI’s owner, Akash Ambani, shared his excitement about the future: “Our core group, alongside our coaching staff, has come together with a unified vision. This commitment underscores our dedication to MI’s values and the loyal fan base that stands behind us. We’re thrilled that Bumrah, Surya, Hardik, Rohit, and Tilak will continue to carry the MI legacy.”
As part of their revitalized strategy for IPL 2025, MI also welcomed back Mahela Jayawardene as head coach, hoping to recapture the team’s winning spirit after a tenth-place finish last season.
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