IPL retention explainer – How Mumbai Indians retained Jasprit Bumrah, SKY, Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma

ESPNcricinfo has learned that while MI senior management, including Mahela Jayawardene, who recently returned as head coach, was considering paying Rohit, Bumrah, Hardik and Suryakumar equal amounts, the players decided the final order themselves.

But the details, and the individual price, were far from finalized when Jayawardene, along with Mumbai’s top management including owner Akash Ambani, met the players in early October to review what was a poor IPL 2024, in which five champions finished. last time.

Players and managers met twice during this period. The idea was to talk freely about how last season went. Part of the discussion involved everyone opening up about what they felt worked and what didn’t. The players in question have also been asked to seek clarification on what they want before it is finalized to keep them.

It is understood that Suryakumar wanted to know what plans the franchise has for the future. After replacing Rohit as the India T20I captain after the T20 World Cup, Suryakumar is all set to lead MI, once again. The franchise told him that when Hardik took over from Rohit as captain ahead of the 2024 season, the plan was to see him continue in that capacity at least for the foreseeable future.

The franchise is believed to have asked Suryakumar if he has any conditions before being retained and that they cannot promise him anything. Suryakumar told the franchise, later, that he wanted to stay with MI. He is believed to have told the franchise that he has ambitions to become the captain. This was on the 4th of October, almost four weeks before the retention deadline.

It is understood that the big team was told in these meetings that the franchise will keep Hardik as captain as it would not be fair to judge Hardik by the way he played last season where he failed to play with batting and ball and made questionable calls in the team. field. The understanding was that if the right kind of environment is created, it will help both Hardik and Mumbai to succeed. The players agreed.

Rohit, along with Hardik and Suryakumar, agreed that Bumrah deserves high maintenance and a high price. Rohit also said that he was happy to be the fourth wicket behind Bumrah, Suryakumar and Hardik given that he has retired from the T20I format.

In the meetings, it was agreed that if the supporters of this group are not clarified about the future that the group is looking towards, there is a risk that the group will lose support. In one of the meetings, Suryakumar is understood to have said:Main mahaul banaunga [I will create the atmosphere].”