• Flamboyant all-rounder Hardik Pandya will continue to lead Mumbai Indians.

  • MI will lock horns against Chennai Super Kings in their first IPL 2025 match on March 23.

IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians’ best playing XI and impact players
Mumbai Indians’ best playing XI and impact players (Image source: X)

Table of Contents

Mumbai Indians (MI), one of the most successful teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) history, are preparing for the 2025 season with great expectations. With a legacy of five IPL titles, MI are renowned for its strong lineup and tactical play. As they begin their IPL 2025 season against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 23, 2025, the team is confronted with major challenges, particularly the loss of major players such as Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah through injury and suspension.

The legacy of Mumbai Indians

Established in 2008, Mumbai Indians have emerged as a behemoth of the IPL, playing consistently at the highest level. They owe their success to a mix of seasoned players and youngsters. The team has gained a reputation for strategic depth, strong batting lineup, and bowling force spearheaded by world-class pacers. Although they had a poor outing in IPL 2024, where they ended up last, MI looks to regain their top spot on the table.

Setting the stage: MI vs CSK

The match against CSK in the opening is not another match; it is a titanic clash that decides the tone for the season. MI fans are keen to observe how their team fares without two of their best players. Pandya, the captain of the team, will miss this vital match because of a one-match ban he received last season. Further, the injury absence of Bumrah puts a huge void in MI’s bowling attack. It is a concern that puts their chances against a strong CSK lineup in doubt.

Mumbai Indian’s (MI) best playing XI for the IPL 2025

  1. Rohit Sharma
  • Description: Rohit Sharma, the experienced opener and former captain, is one of the most successful batters in IPL history. Known for his elegant stroke play and ability to anchor innings, Rohit brings immense leadership experience to the team.
  • Role: Opening batter
  • Impact: Rohit’s presence at the top of the order is crucial for MI. He can set a solid foundation for the innings and accelerate when needed. His experience in high-pressure situations makes him a key player against CSK’s formidable bowling attack.
  1. Ryan Rickelton
  • Description: Ryan Rickelton is an explosive wicketkeeper-batter from South Africa. He is known for his aggressive batting style and ability to score quickly in the powerplay overs.
  • Role: Wicketkeeper-batter
  • Impact: As an opener, Rickelton can provide the necessary firepower alongside Rohit. His ability to find boundaries early can put pressure on CSK’s bowlers, creating opportunities for MI to build a substantial score.
  1. Suryakumar Yadav
  • Description: Suryakumar Yadav is a dynamic middle-order batter known for his innovative shot-making and consistency. He has been a standout performer for MI in recent seasons.
  • Role: Middle-Order batter
  • Impact: Suryakumar’s ability to rotate the strike and accelerate during the middle overs is vital for MI’s innings. His experience against spin will be crucial on pitches that may assist spinners later in the game.
  1. Tilak Varma
  • Description: Tilak Varma is an emerging talent who has impressed with his batting technique and composure under pressure. He has shown great potential in previous seasons.
  • Role: Middle-order batter
  • Impact: Varma’s role will be to stabilize the innings if early wickets fall. His ability to play spin effectively makes him an asset against CSK’s spin-heavy attack.
  1. Hardik Pandya
  • Description: Pandya is an explosive all-rounder who has been a pivotal figure for MI. Known for his aggressive batting and handy seam bowling, he brings leadership and experience to the team.
  • Role: All-rounder
  • Impact: Pandya’s ability to score quickly and finish games makes him a vital asset. His bowling can provide crucial breakthroughs, especially in the death overs. His leadership experience also helps guide younger players on the field.
  1. Naman Dhir
  • Description: Naman Dhir is a young batter known for his aggressive batting style and ability to play big shots. He represents the new generation of Indian cricketers.
  • Role: All-rounder/batter
  • Impact: Dhir can be pivotal in finishing games or accelerating during crucial phases of the match. His youthful energy can inspire confidence in other players on the field.
  1. Arjun Tendulkar
  • Description: The son of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Arjun has made a name for himself as a talented left-arm pacer and handy lower-order batter.
  • Role: Bowler/lower-order batter
  • Impact: Arjun’s bowling provides MI with variety and depth in their attack. His ability to contribute with bat late in innings can be crucial during tight matches.
  1. Mitchell Santner
  • Description: A seasoned all-rounder from New Zealand, Mitchell Santner is known for his left-arm spin bowling and handy batting skills down the order.
  • Role: All-rounder/spinner
  • Impact: Santner’s spin bowling will be vital against CSK’s right-handed batters. His experience in high-pressure situations adds stability to both batting and bowling departments.
  1. Mujeeb Ur Rahman
  • Description: Mujeeb Ur Rahman is an Afghan spinner renowned for his mystery spin and ability to take wickets at crucial junctures.
  • Role: Spinner
  • Impact: Mujeeb’s inclusion strengthens MI’s spin attack significantly, especially on turning tracks. His wicket-taking ability can disrupt CSK’s batting rhythm.
  1. Deepak Chahar
  • Description: Deepak Chahar is an Indian pacer known for his swing bowling capabilities, particularly effective during powerplay overs.
  • Role: Fast bowler
  • Impact: Chahar’s ability to take early wickets will be crucial against CSK’s strong top order. His swing bowling can create early breakthroughs that set the tone for MI’s bowling performance.
  1. Trent Boult
  • Description: Trent Boult is a world-class fast bowler from New Zealand known for his pace, swing, and wicket-taking ability at critical moments.
  • Role: Fast Bowler
  • Impact: Boult’s experience and skill make him one of MI’s key bowlers, capable of changing games with his early strikes. His left-arm angle adds variety to MI’s pace attack against CSK’s right-handed batters.

*Since, Jasprit Bumrah will not be playing in the few initial matches, he was not picked in the best XI of Mumbai Indians.

Also READ: IPL 2025: Here’s why Suryakumar Yadav and not Hardik Pandya will captain MI against CSK in their opening match

Impact player choices for Mumbai Indians

  1. Will Jacks
  • Description: Jacks is an explosive English all-rounder known for his hard-hitting batting and off-spin bowling. He has proven himself in various T20 leagues worldwide and is capable of turning games single-handedly.
  • Role: Batting all-rounder (top-order batter).
  • Impact: Jacks can be a match-winner with his ability to clear boundaries at will, especially in the death overs. His off-spin bowling adds versatility to MI’s bowling attack, which could be handy on spin-friendly pitches. If included in the squad, he can provide both firepower with the bat and control with the ball, making him a dual-threat player against CSK.
  1. Raj Bawa
  • Description: Raj Bawa is a promising Indian all-rounder who gained recognition during the U19 World Cup for his impactful performances with both bat and ball. He is a player with immense potential and has shown glimpses of brilliance in domestic cricket.
  • Role: All-rounder (middle-order batter).
  • Impact: Bawa’s ability to contribute in both departments makes him an exciting prospect for MI. With his medium-pace bowling, he can provide breakthroughs during middle overs, while his batting can stabilize or accelerate the innings depending on the situation. His fearless approach could be crucial in high-pressure games like the one against CSK.
  1. Ashwani Kumar
  • Description: Ashwani Kumar is a young Indian pacer who has been steadily building a reputation for his raw pace and ability to bowl tight lines under pressure. Though relatively inexperienced, he possesses the potential to shine on big stages like the IPL.
  • Role: Fast bowler (death overs specialist).
  • Impact: Kumar’s inclusion could bolster MI’s death bowling options in Bumrah’s absence. His ability to execute yorkers and slower deliveries at the back end of an innings can help restrict CSK’s powerful finishers like MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja. If given an opportunity, Kumar could emerge as a surprise package for MI

Also READ: Mumbai Indians (SWOT) analysis ahead of the IPL 2025

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About the Author:
AKASH THAPA
Akash Thapa is a dedicated cricket journalist with three years of experience in the media industry. A BA (JMC) graduate from VIPS, GGSIPU, and a postgraduate in MAJMC from the University of Lucknow, Akash combines his academic credentials with a deep-rooted passion for cricket.His background as a former junior-level wrestler and cricketer enriches his insightful analysis and commentary on the game. Known for his inventive approach to writing and his commitment to capturing the nuances of cricket, Akash is a true aficionado of the sport.Connect with Akash on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.