Five-time champions Mumbai Indians made significant moves on Day 1 of the IPL 2025 mega auction and continued their dominance on Day 2 as well, if we see they secured big names like Trent Boult and Naman Dhir. Alongside these new additions, the team already boasts stars like Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah, who are expected to lead from the front.
When it came to the IPL auction, MI had several opportunities to capitalize and secure some impressive names. However, there were notable misses that might come back to haunt them, as they had the chance to bid on certain players but chose not to. So, who are the players many expected MI to target but didn’t in the IPL 2025 mega auction?
Faf du Plessis
The first and foremost name MI should have gone for is former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who was signed by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 2 crore. For RCB, he had been phenomenal with the bat in recent seasons. In total, he has scored 4,571 runs in 145 matches, including 37 half-centuries. Faf has consistently proven to provide strong stability at the top of the order and could have been the perfect fit for MI. As an opener, he would have complemented Rohit Sharma brilliantly, forming a formidable partnership. However, MI missed the opportunity to bring him into their squad.
Gerald Coetzee
Although the Mumbai Indians bowling attack looks decent for now, they missed the chance to re-sign a player they had previously released, Gerald Coetzee. The Proteas pacer earned his maiden IPL contract in the 2024 auction after an impressive performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup. On Indian pitches, Coetzee picked up an impressive 20 wickets in 8 games, with 15 of those coming in the middle overs.
Last year, Mumbai Indians secured his services for INR 5 crore, but in this auction, Coetzee registered himself at a base price of INR 1.25 crore and was eventually picked up by Gujarat Titans for INR 2.40 crore. It came as a surprise that MI chose not to bid for him. Adding Coetzee’s skills alongside a seasoned bowler like Jasprit Bumrah could have strengthened their attack significantly, but MI decided to pass on the opportunity.
Glenn Phillips
The biggest surprise came when no teams bid for Glenn Phillips. Mumbai Indians still have room to add some all-rounders, and this Kiwi player is among the best in the business. Known for his flexibility, he can adapt to various batting positions in the middle order, provide a bowling option, and is a livewire on the field. Despite his all-around abilities, MI chose not to go for him. What’s more shocking is that no other team showed interest in this star player either.
