Ambati Rayudu Leaks Mumbai Indians' IPL 2025 Playing 11

The former middle-order batter for the Mumbai Indians (MI), Ambati Rayudu, leaked the probable playing eleven of the five-time champions for the opening contest of the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). They had a tough time last year under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy, as they finished with a wooden spoon.

Rayudu has gone with 10 players in the side and reckoned that Mumbai Indians could go with an extra Indian pacer to balance the combination. Even though he has kept Jasprit Bumrah in the playing eleven, the ace-pacer is unlikely to feature in the side.

Ambati Rayudu backs Indian core for Mumbai Indians' top-order

Rayudu highlights that Mumbai Indians' former captain, Rohit Sharma, will open the innings with the left-handed South African batter, Ryan Rickelton, who can also keep wickets. The Indian ODI and Test captain is the third leading run-getter of the league so far, with 6628 runs at a strike rate of 131.14, besides going through an excellent period last year.

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Rickelton was in tremendous touch in the recent SA20 2025 season with 336 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of nearly 180, shouldering on three half-centuries. At number three, Tilak Verma will walk out to bat for MI. The southpaw also had a wonderful time for India with 749 runs in 24 innings at a strike rate of 155.07.

Suryakumar Yadav will be at number four. Undoubtedly, they hope to get the best impact of the batter, who has collected 2598 runs in 79 innings at a strike rate of nearly 170 in T20Is. Hardik Pandya is in fifth place in the playing eleven, but he can’t take part in their opening fixture against the Chennai Super Kings on March 23 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Naman Dhir, who clubbed 140 runs in seven innings during IPL 2024 for the Mumbai Indians at a strike rate of 177.21, will bat at number six, as per Ambati Rayudu’s selected playing eleven.

Ambati Rayudu trusts foreigners in the bowling department

In the last season, MI struggled badly in the bowling department. They were super excited, with the inclusion of Mitchell Santner, who will provide them four cunning overs of spin and lower-order contribution. Despite being part of the CSK side for nearly eight seasons, he featured in just 18 games to pick 15 wickets at an economy rate of below seven.

Rayudu has kept Bumrah in the playing eleven but the Indian premier pacer is unlikely to start the IPL on time. The reports revealed that he would train at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru before potentially making a comeback in the side at the start of April.

Deepak Chahar has also changed the color in the new season, as he would offer them wickets with the new ball in the powerplay. Trent Boult has reunited with the Mumbai side after three years. The New Zealand left-arm pacer enjoyed two of his fine IPL years in 2020 and 21 for the Mumbai Indians with 38 scalps in 29 innings.

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With their opening game set to be played in Chennai’s slow surfaces, the franchise may look to include Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the spin department as the 11th player. The five-time champions’ first home game of the season will be on March 31 at the Wankhede Stadium against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Ambati Rayudu’s Playing 11 For Mumbai Indians In IPL 2025

Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk.), Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar.