Ranking the 3 best opening combinations for MI after IPL 2025 Auction ft. Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton
Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) purchased 18 players at the two-day IPL 2025 auction held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and November 25. MI retained their core before the auction - Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, and Tilak Varma. They went into the auction with a purse of ₹45 crore, with 20 slots remaining (eight overseas slots).
New Zealand left-arm pacer Trent Boult (₹12.5 crore) was Mumbai Indians' most expensive purchase at the mega auction. The franchise also bought right-arm pacer Deepak Chahar for ₹9.25 crore and batter Will Jacks for ₹5.25 crore. Further, they used the Right To Match (RTM) option to retain the services of all-rounder Naman Dhir for ₹5.25 crore.
With Ishan Kishan released ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, MI will have a new opening partner for Rohit Sharma in the upcoming edition of the T20 league. We rank the three best opening combinations for Mumbai Indians after the auction.
#3 Rohit Sharma and Tilak Varma
Varma batted in the middle-order for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2024 season. He was among the few bright spots for MI during a disastrous season. In 13 matches, he scored 416 runs at an average of 41.60 and a strike rate of 149.64, with three half-centuries.
The 22-year-old has been in sensational form with the bat of late. He recently created history by becoming the first batter to notch up three consecutive T20 tons. After smashing 107* off 56 in the third T20I against South Africa, he followed it up with 120* off 47 balls in the next match. Varma then clobbered 151 off 67 for Hyderabad against Meghalaya in SMAT 2024-25.
The left-hander has notched up big scores batting at No. 3. MI could utilize his skills better by pushing him to open with Rohit. Apart from a left-right combination at the top, Mumbai Indians can have a strong top three, with Suryakumar Yadav coming into bat at the one-down position.
#2 Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton
Rohit can also partner with South African batter Ryan Rickelton at the top of the order for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025. Although the 28-year-old is yet to set the stage on fire at the international level, he is highly rated as a T20 batter. The left-hander has played 106 matches in the format and has scored 2,709 runs at an average of 28.81 and a strike rate of 137.79, with one hundred and 17 fifties.
Rickelton's amazing batting talent was on display in full might during MLC 2024 when he smashed 103* off 66 for Seattle Orcas against Los Angeles Knight Riders in Dallas. The knock featured nine fours and five sixes as the Seattle Orcas chased down a target of 169 in 19.5 overs.
The southpaw also had an exceptional SA20 2024 season. Rickelton was the leading run-getter in the edition as he slammed 530 runs in 10 innings for MI Cape Town, averaging 58.88 at a strike rate of 173.77, with five half-centuries. He could potentially form a dangerous opening combination with Rohit for MI in IPL 2025.
#1 Rohit Sharma and Will Jacks
Mumbai Indians were extremely lucky to acquire the services of Jacks after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) did not use the RTM option to retain him. At ₹5.25 crore, they got him at a pretty decent price as well. The Mumbai franchise must look to utilize his talent to the hilt in IPL 2025. One of the ways to do that could be by making him open the innings with Rohit.
Jacks is a proven performer when it comes to the T20 format. He scored an extraordinary hundred for RCB against Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2024 in Ahmedabad, smashing five fours and 10 sixes in his 100* off 41 balls. The 26-year-old has a strike of 157.62 in T20s after 191 matches, which says a lot about his ball-striking ability.
Rohit, Jacks, and Suryakumar can also form an intimidating top three for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 edition. It would be interesting to see whether the franchise goes with this highly popular option or chooses a different path.