MI strongest playing 11 plus Impact Player options for IPL 2025 ft. Will Jacks & Ryan Rickelton

The Mumbai Indians (MI) are coming off one of their worst-ever seasons in the Indian Premier League (IPL). After finishing last in 2024, the five-time champions will dearly want to get back to their glory days.

Hardik Pandya has been retained as the franchise's captain, and a number of high-profile signings were made at the auction. However, MI are troubled by Jasprit Bumrah's unavailability for the first leg of the IPL and Hardik's suspension in the first game due to an over rate offence from the previous game.

Mumbai's overseas combination has left fans and experts confused, as they have many options to choose from. Allah Ghazanfar being replaced by Mujeeb Ur Rahman hasn't really cleared anything up, and the skipper himself didn't reveal much when asked about it in a preseason press conference.

MI's squad for IPL 2025: Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Bevon Jacobs, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton, Krishnan Shrijith, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Raj Angad Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Allah Ghazanfar, Karn Sharma, Mitchell Santner, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, Satyanarayana Raju, Arjun Tendulkar, Corbin Bosch.

On that note, here is MI's strongest XI, apart from a set of impact player options, for IPL 2025.

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Openers: Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton (wk)

Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians - Source: Getty

Rohit Sharma is guaranteed to open the batting for MI, who will hope that he can present the best version of himself now that he has retired from T20I cricket. His ideal opening partner, though, is still unclear.

Ryan Rickelton has been in scintillating form across formats recently, and it would be hard to leave him out even though Will Jacks is an exciting option at the top of the order. Rickelton's game seems well-suited to the Wankhede Stadium, and he's also reliable behind the stumps.

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Middle Order: Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir

Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians - Source: Getty

Jacks' presence in the lineup alongside Rickelton would actually make the spin attack thinner since either Mitchell Santner or Mujeeb Ur Rahman won't be able to feature. Moreover, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav might have to bat one position lower than ideal.

However, that might be MI's best bet at managing their thin batting unit without compromising on their bowling too much. Jacks has batted at No. 3 before both in the IPL and in England, and having a destructive player like him following the openers could clinch many games in the first 10 overs.

Captain Hardik Pandya and uncapped all-rounder Naman Dhir will man the middle order, with a batting impact sub capable of being brought in if needed.

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Lower Order: Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah

Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians - Source: Getty

Dropping Mujeeb isn't an easy call, but barring the SA20 league, where he had the advantage of playing at a friendly Paarl venue, the Afghanistan spinner hasn't been anywhere close to his best recently. He has lost his place in the national team, and there are doubts over whether he can add significant value at the Wankhede, where spinners don't have a good time.

Santner and Jacks could thus be the main spinners in the lineup, with Dhir contributing some off-spin if needed.

Trent Boult should partner Deepak Chahar with the new ball, and once Jasprit Bumrah is adjudged fit, he should return. In Bumrah's absence, MI might have to pick Ashwani Kumar, although that would leave their death bowling exposed.

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Impact Player Options - Karn Sharma, Ashwani Kumar, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa

England v India: Final - ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup West Indies 2022 - Source: Getty

If MI are hell-bent on a wrist-spinner, they could bring in Karn Sharma, although the veteran was hugely unimpressive for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Robin Minz, who has long been coveted by MI, could be deployed in the middle order. The same goes for Raj Bawa, who is reportedly in good form with both bat and ball in the franchise's preseason camp.

Interestingly, if MI want to, they can pick only three overseas players in their starting XI and have an impact sub bench consisting of Corbin Bosch, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Bevon-John Jacobs, and one of Jacks and Rickelton to choose from, with Minz being the specialist keeper if the South African is out. That would give them a lot of flexibility, but it would also reduce role clarity for almost their entire lineup, which is never an ideal situation to be in.