Aakash Chopra lauds Mumbai Indians's formidable squad for IPL 2025
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has lauded the Mumbai Indians (MI) for their strong squad ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League. He emphasized that their biggest strength is their top-notch playing combination. Five-time IPL champions MI have retained important players like Jasprit Bumrah (₹18 crore), Hardik Pandya (₹16.35 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (₹16.35 crore), Rohit Sharma (₹16.30 crore), and Tilak Varma (₹8 crore) ahead of the IPL 2025 auction.
Player analysis
MI's diverse talent pool
In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, "Their strength is that it's difficult to assemble a better 11 or 12 than this. They have all the best players." He highlighted the diverse talent pool of the team, from Rohit Sharma to Ryan Rickelton and Will Jacks. The depth of their squad was also underscored by Chopra as a key element of MI's IPL 2025 strategy.
Bowling prowess
Mumbai Indians's bowling strength
Chopra also praised MI's bowling attack, which consists of Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, and Jasprit Bumrah. "Can you find a better trio for the Wankhede pitch where the ball moves a little and wickets fall in the powerplay?" he asserted. The team's spin department was also lauded with Mitchell Santner and Mujeeb Ur Rahman being named as key players.
Leadership insights
Experience and leadership: Key strengths of MI
Further, Chopra highlighted the experience in MI's squad, saying every player from Ryan Rickelton or Will Jacks to Mitchell Santner and Trent Boult is brimming with experience. He also highlighted that Hardik Pandya's leadership will be more accepted this season than the last one, hinting at a stronger team unity under his captaincy. "The acceptance was less last year. This season will be different because everyone has accepted it," Chopra observed.