The star-studded Mumbai Indians struggled in this Indian Premier League 2024 and were the first team to be eliminated from the playoffs. Now, they are sitting at the bottom of the IPL 2024 with 8 points and a net run rate of -0.271.
This season, the five-time IPL-winning team experimented a lot, starting by abruptly appointing Hardik Pandya as skipper. However, this hardly changed their fate, and they lost nine of their 13 matches played.
With the IPL 2025 mega auctions scheduled to be held later this year, the MI team may enter the next season without Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya.
Pandya and Rohit's performances in the IPL 2024 have been severely scrutinised. However, Rohit is leading the Indian squad for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup—beginning 1 June in the USA and West Indies—and Hardik is his deputy.
Citing the recent performances of Rohit and Pandya, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag expects only Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah might be retained by MI.
He even compared MI's situation with that of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan in one film.
"Tell me something. Having Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan in one film won't guarantee a hit. Will it? You will have to perform, right? You need a good script. Similarly, all these big names will have to come together and perform on the ground. Rohit Sharma scored one century and MI lost. Where are the rest of the performances?" Sehwag told Cricbuzz.
"Ishan Kishan played the entire season and he couldn't last beyond the Powerplay. Only two names are certainties at this stage for MI – Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav. They will be the top two names retained. And if it then boils down to the third or 4th option, we will see."
Though both MI and Lucknow Super Giants are out of playoffs race, they would be clashing with each other for the last time in IPL 2024 at Wankhede Stadium on Friday.
Update: MI lost the match against LSG by 18 runs. However, Rohit impressed with his 38-ball 68. Pandya was out for 16.
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