Mumbai Indians announces Suryakumar Yadav as team captain ahead of IPL 2025

PTC News Desk: Suryakumar Yadav will captain the Mumbai Indians in their opening match of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday, March 23, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Hardik Pandya, who received a one-match suspension for a slow over-rate in the previous IPL season's final, will miss the game, leading to Surya's appointment as MI's skipper.

MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene confirmed that the franchise has officially received communication regarding Hardik Pandya's one-match suspension from IPL 2024. Mumbai Indians faced Lucknow Super Giants in their final league match last season, losing by 18 runs. The slow over-rate in that game marked their third offense of the season, leading to Hardik's mandatory one-match ban as per IPL regulations.

Since MI didn't qualify for the playoffs, Hardik will miss their opening match of IPL 2025. Suryakumar Yadav, who has previously captained the team once during the 2023 season and secured a victory, will step in as skipper.

During the pre-season press conference, Hardik appeared more self-assured than last year, when he controversially took over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma. Reflecting on the support he has this season, Hardik expressed his gratitude for having three experienced captains in the squad. "I'm fortunate to have three captains — Rohit, Surya, and Bumrah — playing alongside me. They always have my back and are there whenever I need guidance," he said.