Suryakumar Yadav will lead Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League opener against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday while regular skipper Hardik Pandya serves a one-match ban.
Mumbai's slow over-rate in their final league game last year was there third offence of the season, which incurred a one-match suspension for Pandya.
There are three regular captains in the Mumbai Indians camp, all with proven records. Rohit Sharma has captained India across all formats and currently leads the national team in Tests and ODIs. He also led Mumbai Indians for 11 seasons, from 2013 to 2023. Suryakumar is the current India skipper for T20Is, and then there is Jasprit Bumrah, who has captained India in Tests.
"I am lucky," Hardik said. "I have three captains who are playing with me. It adds more experience (to the side). If I require any help, I know that there are three different minds who have led India in different formats with so many years of experience." He then added, "They can put the arm around my shoulder and always be there for me. I look at it that way."
Hardik will be available for the second game of the season, away at Gujarat Titans. They will then play their first home game at the Wankhede Stadium on March 31 against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Bumrah's fitness
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has confirmed that star pacer Jasprit Bumrah is currently at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and has only just begun his rehabilitation process.
This suggests that his return for the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains uncertain.
Bumrah has been out of action for the past two months due to a stress-related lower back injury sustained during the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
His absence poses a significant challenge for Mumbai Indians, particularly in the initial phase of the tournament. However, Jayawardene remains hopeful that Bumrah will join the squad soon.
"Jasprit is, at the moment, with the NCA. He has just started his progress. We have to wait and see what their feedback is on him. At the moment, everything is going well. But obviously, it is on a day-to-day basis," Jayawardene said while speaking to the media.
He further emphasized Bumrah's importance to the team, stating, "He is in good spirits. Not having him is a challenge. He is one of the best bowlers in the world, and he has been a fantastic pro for us for many years."
Reports indicate that Bumrah has not yet fully recovered from his injury, which has sidelined him since January 4, when he experienced discomfort on the second day of the final Test against Australia in Sydney.
This is his first major back injury since undergoing surgery in March 2023.
Bumrah was initially named in India's provisional squad for the recently concluded Champions Trophy, which the team won on March 9. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical team advised him to rest for at least five weeks.
Consequently, he was omitted from the final squad after undergoing further scans in Bengaluru last month, which confirmed his prolonged recovery timeline.
It is pertinent to mention that Mumbai Indians will commence their IPL 2025 campaign against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai on Sunday, March 23, followed by a clash against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on March 29.
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