Amidst widespread speculation near the IPL retention deadline on October 31, some retentions were clear choices for franchises.
Mumbai Indians pacer Jasprit Bumrah was one such no-brainer, being retained as their top pick for ₹18 crore.
Following the announcement, Bumrah expressed gratitude for his long-standing association with MI and reflected on his journey.
“It feels good. I came here as a 19-year-old teenager. Now, I’m going to turn 31, so it’s been a complete journey. I’m happy that the journey is continuing. There’s no better feeling. I had a lot of belief in my ability. I did not want to be just any cricketer, I wanted to do more. I wanted to do special things,” he shared with a smile.
Bumrah also spoke about the team’s focus on future success: “We’ve been successful in the past and we know how to win championships. So, we are now trying to rectify our mistakes and look at the positives as we move on ahead.”
Besides Bumrah, MI retained Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav for ₹16.35 crore each, Rohit Sharma for ₹16.30 crore, and Tilak Varma for ₹8 crore. Despite retaining their core, MI released notable players like Ishan Kishan and Tim David, showcasing their depth in talent.