IPL 2025: Rating teams based on their retentions and releases

2. Mumbai Indians (MI)

Mumbai Indians (MI) are blessed with a very strong core of Indian players and it didn't come as a surprise when they retained five of them ahead of the auction. Jasprit Bumrah was the first retention and it is quite fitting as he is arguably the finest white-ball bowler in world cricket at the moment. He will get INR 18 crore.

Meanwhile, captain Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav have been retained for INR 16.35 crore each. Five-time IPL-winning captain Rohit Sharma settled for INR 16.30 crore, quashing speculations of his exit from the franchise. Also, Tilak Varma has been retained for INR 8 crore.

Mumbai have two dependable batters, one of the best seam-bowling all-rounders in world cricket, and the best death overs bowler to have played for India in their ranks. Tilak Varma is also a player who can serve them for a long time and even lead the side in the future.

The five-time champions finished last in IPL 2024 and will want to come back strongly in the impending season. They have INR 45 crore left in their purse and an RTM card as well. However, they can only pick an uncapped player with the RTM card. Nehal Wadhera or Akash Madhwal could be one of the players who could be roped in with the RTM option.