Hardik Pandya will lead the star-studded Mumbai Indians side during the IPL 2025 despite having a tough  2024 season, where the team finished bottom of the table. After retaining Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma and Tilak Varma, along with Hardik, Mumbai Indians added some interesting names during IPL 2025 mega auction.


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A week after the IPL 2025 mega-auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Hardik reflected on Mumbai Indians' picks, saying that the franchise has "found the right mix" of players. 


In a video shared on the MI's official social media handle, the star all-rounder said that auction dynamics are always tricky and it is important to keep the emotions in check. 


 




"The auction dynamics are always tricky. 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. (So), it's very important to not be very emotional, and in the end, we have to create a whole team," said Hardik. 


"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 (Trent Boult) 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 added.


During the two-day auction in Jeddah, Mumbai bought quite a few uncapped young players -- Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Vignesh Puthur, Arjun Tendulkar, Bevan John Jacobs, Venkata Satyanarayana Penmetsa, Raj Angad Bawa, Shrijith Krishnan and Ashwani Kumar. 


Pandya urged these youngsters to work hard and said that Mumbai India have the best facilities to help them develop into top cricketers.


"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," he said.
     
"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 added.