Five-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians (MI) will open their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 23. MI had a disastrous run in the last season as they finished 10th after losing 10 out of the 14 games.

Not a lot went right for MI in IPL 2024. The team sacked Rohit Sharma as captain and handed over the leadership reins to Hardik Pandya who was traded from Gujarat Titans (GT). Hardik was booed by the Rohit fans and the atmosphere in the dressing room was chaotic. There were rumours of a rift between Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma as well. The team didn't look settled and endured one of their worst seasons.

In IPL 2025, MI would be eyeing a winning start and a much better performance as a team. However, they would be without captain Hardik Pandya for the all-important clash with the CSK. Hardik was fined INR 30 lakh and banned for one match due to slow over rate during MI's final IPL 2024 match against LSG. This was the third instance of MI being behind the over rate thus the ban was imposed on their captain Pandya.

“Hardik Pandya, the Mumbai Indians captain, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over rate during their IPL 2024 match against Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on May 17,” an official IPL media release had stated.

“As it was his team’s third offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, Pandya was fined ₹30 lakh and banned from playing the team’s next match,” it added.

Who Will Captain MI In Absence Of Hardik Pandya?

Rohit Sharma is the most successful captain for MI, but it is unlikely he will take over the reins for one match. India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav looks the most likely candidate, but Jasprit Bumrah is also an option.

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