SKY to lead the MI’s opener Match against CSK at Chepauk: Confirms Hardik Pandya

With the IPL 2025 edition on underway from 22 March 2025, the most successful teams of the IPL history will face off at Chepauk stadium in their opening match of the 18th edition. 

Mumbai Indians are set to take on Chennai Super Kings on March 23 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. Facing the ban for the first match of IPL 2025 the Blue Army will be led by SKY-Surya Kumar Yadav for the first match.

SKY to lead the MI’s opener Match against CSK

Mumbai Indians is in the middle of many crises all together the skipper is facing the first match ban. The key bowler Jasprit is set to miss the opening three matches of the season after suffering a lower back injury. Amidst these, the only relief for the Blue Army is that they have a skipper to trust. Among the ban conditions, the team management has decided to hand over the skipper duties to Suryakumar Yadav for the first match of the season. Following the opener Match, Hardik Pandya will regain leadership and will lead the team for the rest of the tournament.

In the pre-season conference, the MI Skipper Hardik Pandya who is set to miss the first match due to a ban for slow over penalties last year confirmed SKY will lead the side in the match against CSK on March 23.

“Yeah, Surya, obliviously leads India as well. When I am not there, he is the ideal choice in this format (to lead). He is an exciting option as well,” Hardik said. 

Also Read | Jasprit Bumrah set to miss start of IPL 2025

Why SKY is leading the Opening Match?

Last year in IPL 2024, Hardik Pandya was charged with a penalty for slower over rates and later received the ban for the next playing match. But when the incident folded Mumbai Indians were playing their last match of the 2024 IPL and didn’t have any new match for the respective season. Considering the ban he was banned for the next season’s first match which is now on 23rd march against CSK.

“As per the IPL Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offenses, players or teams that maintain lower over-rates for three consecutive times are fined for Rs 12 lakh or 50% of their respective match fees, whichever is low”.

Upon following this code of conduct MI captain was charged with the offense and became the second player after Rishabh Pant to get fined and a further match suspension for an over-rate offense. With MI’s last match of the season concluded Hardik Pandya’s match suspension was carried over to MI’s first game of IPL 2025.