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Suryakumar Yadav will lead Mumbai Indians (MI) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 23 in their first match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Why Hardik Pandya won’t lead Mumbai Indians in their first IPL 2025 match?
This is because the regular MI skipper Hardik has been handed a one-match ban for a slow over-rate offense from the last season. Pandya was suspended after his third act of slow over-rate during their final league game against Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2024. He has been fined ₹30 lakh for it and has also been dropped from the season’s opener to be played in Chennai at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The loss of Pandya, who has been a key performer for MI, is likely to affect the team’s dynamics when they play their arch-nemesis CSK.
Suryakumar Yadav, affectionately known as ‘SKY,’ has been a standout performer for MI and currently serves as the T20I captain for India. His leadership experience is well-documented, having successfully led the national team in various series. Under his captaincy, India has clinched several T20I series victories, showcasing his ability to inspire and lead effectively.
BCCI informs MI about Hardik’s absence
MI’s skipper, Mahela Jayawardene, has stated that the team has been informed about Pandya’s ban, and Suryakumar was the perfect fit to cover him as captain. “Surya has captained India in T20Is in the past. He is a aggressive and fearless cricketer, and thus a thrilling option to captain MI,” said Pandya at a pre-season media conference.
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Suryakumar’s past experience as MI captain in IPL 2023 makes him even more qualified. He was the captain previously as well and won one game as skipper. His aggressive approach and knowledge about the team dynamics place him in good stead to handle the challenge of captaining MI against CSK.
The excitement for the opening match is palpable amongst supporters, who are all waiting with bated breath for this legendary rivalry. The battle between MI and CSK is usually referred to as the “El Clasico” of IPL cricket, and fans are hungry to see how Suryakumar copes with the pressure of captaining MI in such a high-pressure match.
Along with Pandya’s unavailability, MI will also be without their star bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who is on the road to recovery from an injury. This double setback questions MI’s performance against a strong CSK outfit led by Ruturaj Gaikwad.
