At the Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction, the Mumbai Indians (MI) secured England’s dynamic batting all-rounder Will Jacks for a significant amount of INR 5.25 crore. Jacks, who had a base price of INR 2 crore, attracted fierce competition, particularly from the Punjab Kings, before MI finally clinched the deal.
Akash Ambani’s sportsmanship gesture
Interestingly, Jacks, who delivered an impressive performance for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2024, was not retained by the franchise through the Right to Match (RTM) card. This decision allowed MI to bid freely and acquire the talented cricketer. Jacks scored 230 runs in 8 matches for RCB in the previous season, including a century and a half-century, with a blistering strike rate of 175.57. Adding to his value, the Englishman is a capable off-spin bowler and picked up two wickets during IPL 2024.
After MI’s successful bid, Akash Ambani, one of the key owners of MI, demonstrated a gesture of camaraderie by walking over to the RCB table to shake hands with the management. This rare display of sportsmanship highlighted the mutual respect between the two franchises, even in the competitive environment of the IPL auction.
Here is the video:
Jacks is set to join #MI as #RCB opts not to use the RTM option!
Keep watching the #IPLAuction LIVE on #JioCinema & #StarSports 👇🏻https://t.co/nuBiKyfyEh#TATAIPL #IPLAuctiononJioStar #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/ImhrAVBZki
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) November 25, 2024
Also READ: CEO Venky Mysore opens up on the prospect of Ajinkya Rahane leading KKR in IPL 2025
Mumbai Indians’ reinforced lineup for IPL 2025
With the addition of Jacks, the Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, have bolstered their already formidable squad. Known for their consistent performances and as five-time IPL champions, MI now looks stronger than ever. Analysts have already pegged them as one of the top contenders among the ten teams in IPL 2025.