The official schedule for IPL 2025 is out, and the excitement is already high. IPL 2025 tournament kicks off on March 22, with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders facing Royal Challengers Bangalore in the opener.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians (MI) will begin their IPL 2025 campaign on March 23 against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK). However, MI will be without their skipper Hardik Pandya, who is suspended for the first match. This raises a big question - who will captain Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2025 opening game against CSK?
Who can captain Mumbai Indians in the first IPL 2025 match against CSK?
Ahead of last year's IPL, Mumbai Indians made a bold move by appointing Hardik Pandya as their new captain, replacing Rohit Sharma. However, the decision didn't yield great results, as MI failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Now, with Hardik unavailable for the first match of IPL 2025, MI must choose a stand-in captain. The three likely contenders are Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma.
Rohit Sharma: MI's most successful captain, Rohit has led the team to five IPL titles. He remains India's Test and ODI skipper but retired from T20 internationals after the T20 World Cup 2024. Given his experience and leadership record, Rohit is the most obvious choice.
Suryakumar Yadav: Currently leading India's T20I team, Suryakumar has been in brilliant form as a captain. Under his leadership, India recently defeated England 4-1 in a T20I series. His aggressive mindset and ability to inspire the team make him a strong candidate.
Tilak Varma: A young and rising star, Tilak is being seen as a future leader for MI. While he lacks high-level captaincy experience, giving him the responsibility could be a strategic move by the team management.
Why is Hardik Pandya banned for one match?
Hardik Pandya's suspension is a result of Mumbai Indians' final league match in last year's IPL against Lucknow Super Giants. Due to a slow over-rate violation, Hardik was fined Rs 30 lakh and handed a one-match suspension, making him ineligible for MI's opening clash against CSK.