Mumbai Indians (MI), the five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, have retained their core group of Indian players ahead of the 2025 season. The franchise secured the services of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, and Tilak Varma.
Bumrah, the star pacer, emerged as the highest-paid player with a salary of Rs 18 crore. Skipper Pandya, who led MI to a disappointing last-place finish in IPL 2024, will earn Rs 16.35 crore. Suryakumar Yadav, the prolific batter, will also receive Rs 16.35 crore. Rohit Sharma, the former captain, will earn Rs 16.30 crore, while young all-rounder Tilak Varma will receive Rs 8 crore.
The retention process involved extensive discussions within the MI management. According to sources, Rohit Sharma played a key role in determining the salaries of his teammates. He reportedly suggested that Bumrah, Pandya, and Suryakumar should be paid more than him, as they are still active members of the Indian T20I team.
All three batters agreed that Bumrah deserved the highest salary among the retained players. Sources attributed this decision to the respect and importance Bumrah holds within the team.
Another topic of debate within MI was the captaincy. Pandya’s performance as captain in IPL 2024 drew criticism, and some members of the management considered a change. However, the franchise ultimately decided against it, believing that three captains in three years would be detrimental to the team’s stability.
