Hardik Pandya will miss Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2025 opener against CSK. Here’s all you need to know regarding the all-rounder’s absence.
The fixtures for the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have been announced. IPL 2025 will get underway on March 22 in Kolkata, while Mumbai Indians will play their opening match against rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 23. However, Mumbai Indians will be without their captain, Hardik Pandya, for the opening fixture.
Hardik Pandya will miss Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2025 opener against CSK (AFP)
It is important to state that Hardik Pandya was fined INR 30 lakh after Mumbai Indians’ final IPL 2024 group stage match against Lucknow Super Giants. He was also suspended from the franchise’s opening fixture of IPL 2025.
As a result, Hardik Pandya will be available for Mumbai Indians for the franchise’s second match against Gujarat Titans on March 29.
“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.
All other team members, including Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, were also fined 50 percent or INR 12 lakh of their respective match fees, whichever was lower.
Now, it needs to be seen who leads Mumbai Indians against CSK in the absence of Hardik Pandya. Five-time IPL-winning captain Rohit Sharma is also in the running to lead the franchise in Mumbai’s tournament opener. The other two options are the other two retenions – Jasprit Bumrah and India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav.
IPL 2025 to get underway on March 22
The 18th edition of IPL will get underway on March 22 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The opening fixture will take place between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
The first double-header will go ahead on March 23 with the two matches between SunRisers Hyderabad-Rajasthan Royals and MI-CSK.
The final will be played on May 25 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Qualifier 1 and Eliminator will go ahead at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
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