Mumbai Indians (MI) is one of the most successful teams in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. With five IPL titles, they aim to win their sixth championship in the IPL 2025 season. All their past trophies came under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, and this time, they want to surpass Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to become the team with the most IPL trophies.
For the upcoming season, MI has built a strong squad, focusing on both batting and bowling. They spent ₹12.50 Crore on Trent Boult and ₹9.25 Crore on Deepak Chahar during the IPL 2025 mega auction. The team retained its core batting unit and added top-quality bowlers to create a balanced squad. Now, let’s look at MI’s strengths, weaknesses, and the Strongest playing XI for IPL 2025.
Mumbai Indians Top Order: Strong Batting Lineup
Mumbai Indians have a powerful top order with Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, and Suryakumar Yadav. Rohit is known for his attacking starts, while Rickelton has impressed in his short international career. The team can also include Will Jacks if they need an extra bowling option. However, that might mean dropping Rickelton, who is their best wicketkeeping option.
MI’s Top Order Performance in Powerplay (0-6 Overs)
| Batter | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 174 | 2172 | 29.8 | 122.3 |
| Ryan Rickelton | 43 | 846 | 44.5 | 139.1 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 68 | 885 | 46.6 | 138.9 |
| Will Jacks | 159 | 2878 | 30.3 | 159 |
Mumbai Indians Middle and Lower Order: Strengths & Weaknesses
The middle order consists of Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir, while Hardik Pandya and Mitchell Santner handle the finishing. However, this lineup has some challenges.
- Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir lack experience in handling pressure situations.
- Hardik Pandya is the only proven finisher, and the team might struggle if he fails.
- Mitchell Santner is not a specialist finisher, and relying on him for big hits might be risky.
Middle Order Batters (7-15 Overs)
| Batter | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilak Varma | 40 | 936 | 52.0 | 141.6 |
| Naman Dhir | 5 | 74 | 24.7 | 185 |
| Bevon Jacobs | 14 | 223 | 55.8 | 131.2 |
| Hardik Pandya | 80 | 1090 | 35.2 | 131.5 |
Lower Order Batting (16-20 Overs)
| Batter | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardik Pandya | 89 | 1290 | 24.8 | 171.1 |
| Mitchell Santner | 40 | 353 | 16.8 | 148.9 |
| Bevon Jacobs | 13 | 169 | 18.8 | 174.2 |
Mumbai Indians Bowling Unit: A Strong Pace Attack
Mumbai Indians have a strong pace attack with Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, and Deepak Chahar leading the bowling unit.
- Boult and Chahar are specialists with the new ball and can trouble batters early.
- Bumrah is a key bowler in all phases, especially in death overs.
- A major concern is Bumrah’s fitness, as his unavailability can weaken the bowling attack.
- MI lacks a reliable partner for Bumrah in death overs, which could be a problem.
Pace Bowling Performance (Phase-wise)
| Phase | Player | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (0-6 Overs) | Trent Boult | 173 | 102 | 7.12 | 22.9 |
| Deepak Chahar | 83 | 58 | 7.92 | 22.9 | |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 130 | 35 | 6.63 | 30.7 | |
| Middle Overs (7-15 Overs) | Bumrah | 108 | 42 | 6.64 | 37.2 |
| Boult | 74 | 29 | 7.79 | 37.7 | |
| Chahar | 35 | 7 | 7.68 | 37.4 | |
| Death Overs (16-20 Overs) | Bumrah | 122 | 91 | 8.33 | 37.2 |
| Boult | 131 | 80 | 10.19 | 32.1 | |
| Chahar | 25 | 12 | 9.36 | 30.7 |
Mumbai Indians Spin Bowling Options
Mumbai Indians have Mitchell Santner as their lead spinner. They can also bring in Karn Sharma on spin-friendly pitches. Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir can bowl part-time spin when needed.
Spin Bowling Performance (7-15 Overs)
| Bowler | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Dot % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Santner | 90 | 63 | 7.07 | 38.4 |
| Karn Sharma | 88 | 68 | 8.03 | 36.3 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 173 | 72 | 6.58 | 41.4 |
Mumbai Indians’ Strongest Playing XI for IPL 2025
- Rohit Sharma
- Ryan Rickelton (WK)
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Tilak Varma
- Naman Dhir
- Bevon Jacobs
- Hardik Pandya (C)
- Mitchell Santner
- Deepak Chahar / Karn Sharma
- Trent Boult
- Jasprit Bumrah
Impact Players:
- Deepak Chahar or Karn Sharma
- Robin Minz
Final Thoughts
Mumbai Indians have a well-balanced team for IPL 2025, with a strong top order, a decent middle order, and a powerful bowling attack. However, their biggest concerns are the inexperience in finishing roles and Bumrah’s fitness issues. If they manage these weaknesses well, MI can be strong contenders for their sixth IPL title.
