IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya announces new Mumbai Indians captain, kicks aside Rohit Sharma

Mumbai Indians are all set to kick off their IPL 2025 campaign under the captaincy of India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The Mumbai Indians will face the Chennai Super Kings in their IPL 2025 opener at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Ahead of the season opener on March 22 between the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens, Hardik Pandya, MI’s regular captain, has confirmed that Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team against CSK in Chennai.

Hardik Pandya to miss Mumbai Indians' opening match in the IPL 2025, Suryakumar Yadav takes charge against CSK

Hardik will miss Mumbai’s first match in the IPL 2025 due to a penalty carried over from last season. The MI skipper was handed a one-match ban by the IPL GC for his repeated slow-over rate offense in the 2024 season, which will force him to sit out of the team’s first match against the CSK.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Mahela Jayawardene reveals truth about Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for MI

The Mumbai Indians had failed to finish their overs within the given timeframe three times in the IPL 2024, resulting in the skipper Pandya being handed a INR 30 lakh fine and one match suspension. MI’s campaign ended early on May 17, so the penalty carries over to the first match of this season.

It is ideal for Suryakumar to lead the MI: Hardik Pandya

Hardik said that Suryakumar is the ideal candidate to lead the five-time champions in his absence in the pre-season press conference on Wednesday (March 19). He said, “Suryakumar Yadav is India's T20I captain. So, it is ideal for him to lead the MI team in my absence in the first game against CSK.”

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has confirmed that the team has been officially informed about Hardik’s one-match suspension. The penalty comes from Mumbai’s last league-stage match in IPL 2024 against Lucknow Super Giants, where they suffered an 18-run defeat.

It was their third offense of the season, leading to an automatic one-match ban for the captain. Well, Pandya sounded much more confident this season after his controversial decision to replace Rohit Sharma as captain led him to face a lot of criticism and abuse last year.

Read Also: IPL 2025: 'A lot has changed' - Hardik Pandya eager to erase IPL 2024 nightmare with MI

I'm lucky that I have three captains playing with me: Hardik Pandya

Back then, the Indian all-rounder carefully avoided tough questions, but now he embraces the leadership setup of the MI featuring three leaders: Rohit Sharma—India’s Test and ODI captain, Suryakumar Yadav—India’s T20I captain, and Jasprit Bumrah—Test vice-captain.

Hardik said that this is an advantage to have three experienced captains in the squad. He further added, “I am lucky that I have three captains playing with me—Rohit, Surya & Bumrah. They always place an arm around my shoulder & are there when I need any help.”

He signed off by saying, “There is the legacy. It's been a team where certain expectations are always kept. To fulfill that is always challenging. But for me, it is part of the journey to learn and become an even better captain. So, to get smarter, more calculated, and increase the ability to take pressure. It is exciting and will involve new learning.

I have wonderful brains (around me) from whom I can take a lot of things and apply them on the field. And that's the goal for me in 2025: to become an even better captain than I've been. To gather as much knowledge and awareness as possible.”