Mumbai Indians (MI) will begin their IPL 2025 campaign without regular skipper Hardik Pandya, who is set to miss the season opener against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk on March 23 due to a one-match ban. In his absence, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav will take charge of the team.
Confirming the development at MI’s pre-season press conference, Hardik Pandya expressed full faith in Suryakumar’s leadership abilities. “Surya leads India as well. When I am not there, he is the ideal choice,” said Hardik. MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene further clarified that the one-match ban was imposed due to multiple slow over-rate violations during IPL 2024. “Yes, we’ve been officially informed. Like Hardik said, Surya will lead the team, and we’re looking forward to that,” Jayawardene stated.
Suryakumar, who recently led India to a 4-1 T20I series victory against England, will be eager to make an impact as MI’s stand-in captain. However, his batting form hasn’t been at its best, having managed only 38 runs across five innings in the England series. Despite this, MI will bank on his leadership experience to guide them in a high-pressure encounter against their biggest rivals.
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Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya remained upbeat about his role as MI’s full-time captain, dismissing any doubts about his confidence. “I’ve always been confident—whether it was during the Champions Trophy or now. My approach never changes,” he remarked.
Addressing the presence of senior leaders like Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav in the squad, Pandya emphasized the advantage of having multiple experienced minds to support him. “I’m lucky to have three captains playing alongside me. If I ever need guidance, they’ll always be there for me,” he added.
MI’s IPL 2024 campaign was a forgettable one, as the five-time champions finished last with only four wins from 14 matches. Despite this, the franchise retained Pandya for INR 16.35 crore, signalling their faith in his leadership. MI will also miss Jasprit Bumrah in the opening game due to injury, further adding to their early-season challenges.
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Mumbai’s first two fixtures will be away games—against CSK in Chennai on March 23 and Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on March 29. Their first home match at Wankhede Stadium will be against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 31. The team will then travel to Lucknow to face LSG on April 4 before returning home to host RCB on April 7.
