As Mumbai Indians prepares for a fresh start to IPL 2025 after a disappointing 2024 season, Rohit Sharma expressed optimism about reclaiming MI’s legacy in a video message shared on the team's official social media.
The Mumbai Indians (MI) have made strategic moves ahead of the IPL 2025 season, retaining five key players, including star batter Rohit Sharma and captain Hardik Pandya. As the franchise prepares for a fresh start after a disappointing 2024 season, Sharma expressed optimism about reclaiming MI’s legacy in a video message shared on the team's official social media.
The retention list showcases a mix of experience and talent, featuring pacer Jasprit Bumrah at Rs 18 crore, followed by Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, both retained at Rs 16.35 crore, and Rohit Sharma at Rs 16.30 crore. Tilak Varma rounds out the group with a retention salary of Rs 8 crore. The franchise spent Rs 75 crore of their Rs 120 crore budget on these players, leaving Rs 45 crore for the upcoming IPL auction.
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“We have always believed that the strength of a family lies in its core and this belief has been reinforced during the course of recent events.
We are thrilled that the strong legacy of MI will be carried forward by Jasprit, Surya, Hardik, Rohit and… pic.twitter.com/G70B6DyZhw
Despite their recent struggles, finishing 10th in IPL 2024 with only four wins from 14 matches, Rohit Sharma remains hopeful about the future.
"I am thrilled to be part of Mumbai Indians yet again. I played so much cricket here. This is the place where I have started my cricket career. So this city, is very, very special and I am happy to be here. Obviously, when you play for such a long period of time, you create so much memories with the team. We haven't had the best of the season in the last 2 to 3 years, but we are quite determined to change that. So yes! We will be looking forward to each other's help and hopefully we can turn things around,” he said.
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Sharma, who has a deep-rooted connection with MI, emphasized the importance of the team’s legacy, stating, “Mumbai Indians have a rich history of winning trophies and games from unbelievable situations. This is something that everyone who wears the jersey should aim for.”
With Hardik Pandya taking over the captaincy last season, fans are eagerly awaiting how the leadership dynamics will unfold as both players vie for the captaincy role in the coming season. Sharma acknowledged the challenges of retaining a core group but expressed confidence in MI’s ability to build a strong team.
"This is a team that never gives up. Since I've retired from the format, I think this is the perfect (retention) spot for me. The players who are representing the national team at the highest level should get the preference. That's what I believe in, and I'm quite happy with it. It's a very tough one, when you come into fresh auction and you start retaining players and with Mumbai we have always tried maintaining the core group of players," the former skipper added.
"Moving forward, I just feel that we can have a good auction and create a group of players who can be match winners for us and we'll put the right foot forward and bring the legacy back where it belongs," the Hitman concluded.