Wed Mar 19 21:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Suryakumar Yadav to Captain Mumbai Indians in IPL Opener
**Mumbai, India** – Suryakumar Yadav will lead the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their opening Indian Premier League (IPL) match against the Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. This follows a one-match suspension handed to regular captain Hardik Pandya due to the team’s slow over-rate offences last season.
Yadav, who recently captained India to a T20 series win over England, will fill in for Pandya. While his recent batting performance was modest (38 runs in five innings against England), Pandya expressed confidence in Yadav’s leadership abilities. MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene confirmed the BCCI’s communication regarding Pandya’s suspension.
The news comes as MI also faces the significant challenge of Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. The star pacer is recovering from a back injury at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and will miss the initial IPL matches. Jayawardene described Bumrah’s absence as a “massive challenge” but expressed optimism about his progress, although offering no firm timeline for his return. Pandya highlighted the positive influence of having experienced players like Bumrah, even while injured, in the team’s dressing room. Bumrah is expected to join the team in early April to continue his rehabilitation. The Mumbai Indians finished last in the 2024 IPL season.
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