IPL 2025: 3 players who can lead MI against CSK
What's the story
Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya will miss the team's opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
The suspension is due to three slow over-rate offenses by Pandya in the previous season.
According to IPL rules, a captain is banned for one match after three slow over-rate offenses in a season.
Here are the contenders who can lead MI in Pandya'a absence.
#1
Suryakumar Yadav: A potential successor
Suryakumar Yadav, India's current T20I captain, is a strong candidate to lead MI in Pandya's absence.
His leadership skills have been proven on the international stage with an undefeated streak as a T20I captain.
Yadav's calm demeanor, much like Rohit Sharma's, could serve MI well in their tournament opener against CSK.
Notably, he is among the best T20 batters going around.
#2
Jasprit Bumrah: A tactical leader
Jasprit Bumrah is another potential candidate for the captaincy role.
Though he is currently nursing an injury, if fit, he could be a strong choice to lead MI against CSK.
Bumrah's tactical acumen was recently on display in the Test series against Australia where he led India to victory in Perth.
His leadership skills were further highlighted when Rohit stepped down from Sydney Test and Bumrah took over as captain.
#3
Rohit Sharma: A seasoned skipper
Rohit, who has taken MI to five IPL titles, is also in the fray for the stand-in captain role.
Although he was replaced by Pandya as leader last season, his MI captaincy record is phenomenal with 91 wins out of 163 matches.
His captaincy has been especially effective against CSK, making him a possible choice for the upcoming match.