Hardik Pandya has been confirmed to continue as the captain of Mumbai Indians (MI) in the upcoming IPL 2025 season. Despite being banned for one game due to a slow over-rate offence, Hardik will lead the team once his suspension is lifted. In his absence, India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav is a strong candidate to take on the leadership role for MI's season opener.
The decision to ban Hardik for the first game of IPL 2025 was made by the BCCI following MI's slow over-rate in their last game of IPL 2024. According to BCCI rules, a captain faces a fine of Rs 12 lakh for the first offence of slow over-rate, with subsequent offences incurring higher fines and potential bans.
In addition to the financial penalties, a captain can also face a one-game ban for repeated slow over-rate offences. Hardik's suspension stems from MI's failure to complete 20 overs within the stipulated time in three matches, with the third offence occurring in their final game against Lucknow Super Giants.
Alongside Hardik, Mumbai Indians have retained key players Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma. Bumrah, with a salary of Rs 18 crore, was the team's top retention choice. Suryakumar, Rohit, and Tilak were retained for Rs 16.35 crore, Rs 16.30 crore, and Rs 8 crore respectively.
With one Right to Match (RTM) card remaining, MI will enter the IPL 2025 mega-auction with a budget of Rs 45 crore, which they can utilize to strengthen their squad further.
Also read| IND vs AUS: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli to retire from Test cricket after Border-Gavaskar Trophy? Report makes big claim
