IPL 2025: MI may release its top 3 players ahead of the mega-auction

The Mumbai Indians, one of the most successful teams in Indian Premier League history, have placed second in each of the last three competitions. Prior to the 2024 competition, Rohit Sharma was relieved of his captaincy, a move that sparked intense backlash because most supporters took issue with Hardik Pandya taking over. The team’s poor performance may also compel them to make some bold decisions.

MI will have to let go of most of its players due to the impending mega-auction, however the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials have not yet made their final decision about the retention and RTM cards rule. The captaincy change last year caused a lot of elite cricketers to express unhappiness, which may have contributed to their decision not to extend their contracts before the next edition.

In an attempt to hold onto the core group and create a team for the future, the club management would be desperate. Who they would trust to assemble the team’s core players has to be determined.

Here are three key players Mumbai Indians can release ahead of IPL 2025:

1. Rohit Sharma

As soon as the five-time champions walked the pitch in the IPL 2024, the phrase “Mumbai cha Raja Rohit Sharma” went viral. When Rohit was benched as captain, the supporters lost it, and he may decide to leave the team before the next season.

The 37-year-old was crucial to Mumbai’s five IPL championship victories, but the team wanted to change things up, so they brought in Pandya and gave him the baton. Although Rohit remained silent, his spouse Ritika Sajdeh publicly voiced her displeasure with his removal.

Nonetheless, the player continues to have a tight relationship with Mumbai’s proprietors. Though multiple teams are interested in signing Rohit and giving him the captaincy baton, he would prefer to leave the team if the objective is to captain again in the IPL. The player may potentially decide to depart because Mumbai has a large pool of players to pick from in terms of retention.

2. Nehal Wadhera

In his brief tenure, Nehal Wadhera has performed admirably for Mumbai. He has played in 20 games for the team and amassed 350 runs at a 140 strike rate. He did not play as much as he would have liked to previous season due to his batting struggles and Hardik Pandya‘s presence.

Mumbai also has an abundance of Indian cricket players to select from. Mumbai can also utilise their RTM card, but Wadhera is far down on the list of priorities. Success requires having quality Indian middle-order players, and Wadhera meets that requirement.

The BCCI policy involving uncapped players affects Wadhera’s retention as well. Mumbai could be able to sign the 23-year-old for the upcoming tournament if BCCI permits players to sign at least one uncapped player. He has not yet played for his country. He will have to be released if not.

3. Gerald Coetzee

Mumbai Indians acquired the South Africa international for INR 5 crore at the IPL auction after he took 20 wickets in eight matches during the ODI World Cup 2023. In ten games during his debut season, the 23-year-old had a respectable performance. Mumbai will have to let him go, though, given the next mega-auction.

The team will probably keep Jasprit Bumrah and put more of an emphasis on holding onto its core players. This is where Coetzee is out of place. Due to their increased familiarity with the Wankhede Stadium’s circumstances, Tim David and Dilshan Madushanka are in a higher position among foreign players.

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Mumbai, though, might not hesitate to use its RTM card on Coetzee. They might also get him cheaper because there will be a lot of pacers available in the mega-auction.