Kolkata: For Mumbai Indians (MI), today's IPL 2020 auction here is no more than about choosing the topping for their cake. Most other franchises will, in contrast, be looking for the right recipe and trying to put it all together in the six hours or so. The players in fray will be hoping to add to their Christmas cheer, and some of them will walk away with big slices of the cake.

MI retain their core

Rather predictably, MI have retained the core of the squad that lifted a record fourth IPL title earlier this year. Kieron Pollard, Pandya brothers Hardik and Krunal, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul Chahar, Lasith Malinga, Mitchell McClenaghan and Quinton de Kock will again rally around skipper Rohit Sharma. The squad has actually been bolstered during the trade window with Kiwi pacer Trent Boult, West Indian 'finisher' Sherfane Rutherford and Dhawal Kulkarni joining from other franchises.