During the first match of the season, MI will be lead by Suryakumar Yadav in absence of Hardik Pandya
Mumbai Indians (MI) will begin their IPL 2025 campaign without their designated captain Hardik Pandya, as he has been handed a one-match suspension due to a slow over-rate violation from the previous season. Head coach Mahela Jayawardene confirmed the development during a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday, stating that Suryakumar Yadav would step in as the stand-in captain for MI’s opening fixture.
Reflecting on the situation, Hardik expressed his disappointment but acknowledged that the rules must be followed. He admitted that he had been unaware of the consequences of a slow over-rate when MI exceeded the allotted time to complete their quota of overs in their last league match of IPL 2024 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). “The game now includes the events of the previous year. We bowled the final over a minute or two late, and I was not aware of the repercussions at the time. It’s unfortunate, but the rule exists, and I have to comply with it,” Hardik stated. He added that whether the regulation remains in place for future seasons will be decided by the tournament’s governing body.
With Hardik missing the first match, Suryakumar Yadav, who has captained India in T20 internationals, will take charge of the team in their season opener. “Surya is an excellent choice to lead the side in my absence. He has experience captaining India in this format and is the perfect fit for this role,” Hardik added.
MI is set to kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai on March 23. Their squad will also be without star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who is still recovering from a lower-back injury that has sidelined him since January. While Hardik is set to return for MI’s second match against Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 29 in Ahmedabad, Bumrah’s availability remains uncertain, and he may miss multiple games.
Following the fixture against Gujarat, MI will host Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their first home game of the season at Wankhede Stadium on March 31. The team will then travel to Lucknow to take on LSG on April 4 before returning home to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 7.
After a disappointing IPL 2024 campaign where MI finished at the bottom of the table with just four wins in 14 games, they will be eager to turn things around this season. However, their start to the new campaign will be challenging, with key players missing in the opening matches.
