3 reasons why MI can win IPL 2025

The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) commences on March 22 (Saturday), with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squaring off against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the opening match of the tournament. Two of the most successful franchises of the competition, the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will lock horns against each other on Sunday (March 23).

When you talk about T20 leagues across the globe, MI feature as one of the finest franchises with as many as five IPL titles to their name. Apart from the IPL, the MI franchises have won several other tournaments across the globe, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) being the latest.

Despite being the joint-most successful franchise in the IPL along with CSK, their performances in the last four years haven't been up to the mark. After winning back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020, MI failed to qualify for the playoffs in three of the next four seasons.

Hardik Pandya was handed over the captaincy last year and it created a ruckus among the fans. It turned out to be a tough year for both the new captain and the franchise. However, they formed a solid team in the mega auction last November and have a chance of adding one more title to their cabinet.

3 reasons why MI can win IPL 2025

#1. Explosive batting line-up

The Mumbai Indians have formed an explosive batting line-up for the upcoming season of the IPL with a perfect blend of youth and experience. Rohit Sharma at the top of the order has been a revelation in the last couple of years and will look to provide quickfire starts in the powerplay.

The likes of Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton, and Bevon John-Jacobs can put any bowling attack to the sword. While all three won't feature in the XI, this is what the foreign contingent looks like as far as batting is concerned.

Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya are among the other Indian batters who can change the complexion of the game with their blistering strokeplay. Young gun Tilak Varma has also made a massive name for himself while the franchise have added a few new names like Shrijith Krishnan, Naman Dhir, and Raj Angad Bawa, who pack a punch and can play the attacking role to perfection.

#2. One of the most experienced squads in the IPL

The five-time champions have one of the most experienced team setups in the competition, with Hardik Pandya at the helm. Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Tilak Varma will form the core of the batting unit.

Coming to the bowling department, the fast bowling cartel will be led by Jasprit Bumrah. He is expected to miss the first couple of weeks of the tournament due to injury but MI still have Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Reece Topley, and Mitchell Santner, who have enough experience of playing both international and franchise cricket.

#3. The camaraderie in the MI squad

Over the years, the Mumbai Indians have retained their core for the longest period and it is no different this year. While reports emerged after the previous season that Rohit Sharma might move to a different franchise, it wasn't the case as he was retained ahead of the 2025 season.

There was an apparent fallout between Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma, which was eventually settled. The T20 World Cup triumph in June 2024 helped the duo immensely improve their relationship. With everything settled as far as team bonding is concerned, MI have a realistic chance of winning the competition.