Hardik Pandya, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain, recapped how the IPL 2025 mega auction went for the five-time champions. He acknowledged the players who had been with the franchise but had since left, as well as the new players who had joined the team ahead of the upcoming season.

Before the IPL 2025 auction, MI had retained Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, and Tilak Varma.

The Mumbai Indians purchased 18 players during two days of bidding, with Kiwi pacer Trent Boult leading the five-time champion's auction list. MI's other notable additions included Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, and Mitchell Santner.

Referring to the auction as a rollercoaster, Hardik said, “The auction dynamics are always tricky. You know when you are watching it live, it is very exciting and the emotions are always up and down because you want this player but sometimes you just lose. It’s very important to not be very so emotional and in the end, we have to create a whole team."

Hardik was in frequent contact with the coaching staff regarding the players he wanted, and he believed the team had the ideal balance of youth and experience.

Hardik revealed that he was in frequent contact with the coaching staff regarding the players he wanted, and he believed the team had the ideal balance of youth and experience.

“I was in touch with the table as well, exactly who we are going for and I think we came out pretty well from the auction and how the team is looking. We have found the right mix, which is experienced players, like Boulty is back, Deepak Chahar, who has been around, and at the same time, young guns like Will Jacks, Robin Minz, and Rickelton, who are fresh. So I think we have done pretty well. We have covered all the bases," he said.

Hardik also had a personal message for the new young talent in the team, having himself been in that boat when he was scouted by Mumbai Indians.

“My message, to all the young guns, who are joining Mumbai Indians this year is that if you are here, you have that spark, you have that talent, which the scouts have seen. They found me, they found Jasprit, they found Krunal, they found Tilak. They all eventually played for the country. All you have to do is show up, train, work hard and the best part is that Mumbai Indians have the facility to make them flourish," he shared.

As leader, Hardik wanted to make the new players feel welcome and valued, saying, “There are new faces who are going to come from new franchises. As Mumbai Indians, we’re going to make sure that they feel at home and that they belong here."