Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya was unavailable for the team’s opening match of IPL 2025 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) due to a one-match suspension. Suryakumar Yadav took charge in his absence, leading MI for the second time. Pandya will return in MI’s next game against Gujarat Titans on March 29.

The suspension was due to MI’s slow over-rate problems in IPL 2024. According to the IPL code, a captain gets suspended for one match if his team incurs three over-rate breaches in an edition. MI’s third offense occurred in their last league-stage match in IPL 2024, resulting in Pandya’s suspension.

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MI Post 155/9, Set CSK a Target of 156

Batting first, Mumbai Indians fought against CSK’s tight bowling lineup and were able to post 155/9 in 20 overs. The MI batting lineup could not pick up pace, losing wickets at equal intervals. CSK must now score 156 runs to begin their IPL 2025 journey with a victory.

Suryakumar Yadav Leads in Pandya’s Absence

With Pandya unavailable, Suryakumar Yadav took charge of MI’s playing XI. The dynamic batter, who also leads India’s T20I squad, showcased his leadership experience. Notably, while Yadav is Pandya’s captain in international cricket, he plays under Pandya’s leadership in the IPL.

CSK Wins Toss and Elects to Bowl

In the toss, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad decided to bowl first, mentioning the vagueness of the pitch conditions. “We are bowling first. First time playing on this pitch, so don’t really know how it will play. So we just want to acclimatize and chase accordingly. Looks like a good wicket to bat on,” Gaikwad added.

Playing XIs for Both Teams

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, MS Dhoni, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis, Khaleel Ahmed.

Mumbai Indians: Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Will Jacks, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Satyanarayana Raju.