The joint-record champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Mumbai Indians, have been in the news for the last few days after snapping up Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans in an all-cash deal.
GT had picked Pandya up for INR 15 crores in 2021 and MI will match that salary. This changes the dynamics of the team as the all-rounder will be key both with the bat and ball. Pandya has also replaced Rohit Sharma as the Mumbai Indians captain.
MI, known for its star-studded lineup, have made strategic decisions in retaining key players who have been instrumental in the team's triumphs. Sharma, continues to lead the charge. Suryakumar Yadav, the dynamic and consistent batsman, finds himself retained, ensuring stability in the top order.
The explosive Ishan Kishan, known for his aggressive stroke play, remains in the MI fold. The retention of Tilak Varma and Tim David, promising talents, underlines MI's commitment to nurturing young cricketers.
The release of Jofra Archer, the England pacer with express pace, might come as a surprise, but MI seems to be eyeing different options for their overseas pace battery. He could hardly have an impact in the previous edition with an elbow injury and MI needed to free up the cash to get Pandya from GT.
Cameron Green has been released as well which helped them free up INR 17.5 crores as he was the second most expensive purchase in IPL auction history. He scored 452 runs in 16 matches including a ton against the SunRisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede which fired them to the playoffs.
Chris Jordan and Tristin Stubbs also find themselves on the released list, indicating MI's intention to explore different combinations.
MI's strategy in player retention and release reflects a blend of continuity and strategic renewal. Retaining the core while making calculated releases demonstrates a commitment to maintaining the winning culture that MI is known for. As the franchise gears up for the IPL 2024 auction on December 19 in Dubai, all eyes will be on the think tank as to how they spend their frugal budget on getting their desired players.
MORE: What are the biggest trade deals in IPL history?
LIST: Released players by MI
| NAME | ROLE |
| Jhye Richardson | Batsman |
| Chris Jordan | Bowler |
| Jofra Archer | Bowler |
| Mohammed Arshad Khan | Batsman |
| Ramandeep Singh | Batsman |
| Hritihik Shokeen | Bowler |
| Raghav Goyal | Bowler |
| Tristan Stubbs | Batter |
| Duan Jansen | Bowler |
| Riley Meredith | Bowler |
| Sandeep Warrier | Bowler |
LIST: Retained players by MI
| Name | Role |
| Rohit Sharma | Batsman |
| Suryakumar Yadav | Batsman |
| Ishan Kishan | Wicketkeeper |
| Tilak Verma | Batsman |
| Nehal Wadhera | Batsman |
| Akash Madhwal | Bowler |
| Jason Behrendorff | Bowler |
| Piyush Chawla | Bowler |
| Vishnu Vinod | Wicketkeeper |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Bowler |
| Cameron Green | Batsman |
| Kumar Kartikeya | Bowler |
| Arjun Tendulkar | Bowler |
| Tim David | Bowler |
| Dewald Brevis | Batter |
| Shams Mulani | Bowler |
LIST: Players traded in by MI
| Name | Role |
| Romario Shepherd | All-rounder |
| Hardik Pandya | All-rounder |
When is IPL 2024 mini-auction?
The mini-auction for IPL 2024 is set to be held in Dubai on December 19, 2023.
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