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Hardik Pandya Photograph: (X)
Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya will not play the opening match of IPL 2025 campaign against Chennai Super Kings. Chepauk is set to host cricket’s equivalent of 'El-Classico' on 23rd March. Pandya will miss the game because he was handed a one-match ban during IPL 2024 for slow over rate.
IPL had put out a statement which read, “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.”
The statement also read, “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 Rs 30 lakh and banned from playing the team's next match."
Rohit Sharma or Suryakumar Yadav, who is set to lead MI vs CSK?
With Hardik Pandya missing, the captaincy of Mumbai Indians for the huge match against CSK could go to Rohit Sharma or Suryakumar Yadav. There are also reports that Jasprit Bumrah could be in the mix, but it isn’t clear if the pacer will be fit in time to take the field.
Rohit Sharma has already led Mumbai Indians and is the joint most successful IPL skipper. Suryakumar Yadav is India’s T20I skipper and has been doing a great job so far but his batting form has taken a tumble. It is to be noted that MI haven’t won an opening fixture since 2012. Their last opening day fixture win came against CSK at the Chepauk stadium.
Hardik Pandya will return for the second game of the season against former side Gujarat Titans. That match will be played at the Narendra Modi stadium on 29th March before MI head home to Wankhede Stadium to play defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders. The return fixture against CSK is set to happen on 20th April at the Wankhede Stadium.
IPL 2025 schedule was announced on Sunday and the first match of the season will be played between KKR and RCB. Eden Gardens is set to host the opening game of the season as well as the final match of the season. Mumbai finished bottom of the table last season with just eight points from their 14 matches.