The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction is set to be a pivotal event for all 10 franchises. With a mega auction on the horizon, teams must carefully consider their retention strategies to build competitive squads.
According to the BCCI, franchises can retain a maximum of six players, either through retention or the Right to Match (RTM) option. The combination of retentions and RTMs can include up to five capped players (Indian or overseas) and two uncapped players. The auction purse for each franchise has been set at INR 120 Crore.
For five-time champions Mumbai Indians, who endured a disappointing IPL 2024 campaign, the upcoming auction holds immense significance. The team boasts a star-studded roster, including Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Varma. However, the franchise faces a crucial decision regarding player retention.
Former IPL-winning coach Tom Moody has expressed his reservations about Hardik Pandya’s potential retention at the highest price of INR 18 crore. Moody believes that Pandya’s recent struggles with fitness and performance may not warrant such a high valuation.
“When you dissect all of those areas with Hardik Pandya, does he deserve to be an 18 crore player? Is he worth it? If you’ve got to be an 18 crore player, you’ve got to be a genuine match-winner and do it regularly,” Moody said.
Moody also highlighted Mumbai Indians’ past struggles at the auction table, particularly in retaining players at inflated prices. He cited the examples of Ishan Kishan and Jofra Archer, who failed to deliver consistent returns despite their hefty price tags.
“They’ve had a little bit of a problem at the auction table the last couple of years. They’ve gotten caught up in a way too loyal in some cases and tried to retain, or get players back into their squad, which has cost them dearly,” Moody said.
The Mumbai Indians management will have to make some tough decisions regarding player retention. They must balance loyalty with performance and value for money to build a squad capable of challenging for the IPL title in 2025.
