IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians (MI) regular captain Hardik Pandya missed out on the season opener against the mighty Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday (March 23) due to a ban from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Pandya was fined Rs 30 lakhs after MI's last league game in the previous season against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) due to slow over-rate.
"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.
Also Read - Highlights from IPL 2025 match CSK vs MI
"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.
During a meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, attended by all IPL captains and team managers, the board decided to remove match bans for captains over slow over-rate offences. According to a report from Cricbuzz, the BCCI has replaced bans with the ICC’s demerit points system. Under this system, captains will accumulate points based on the severity of the violation, which will remain valid for three years. Suspensions will only be imposed in extreme cases.
IPL 2025: What about Jasprit Bumrah?
Fast-bowler Jasprit Bumrah got injured during a Border-Gavaskar Test match against Australia in Sydney, which kept him sidelined from cricketing action since December 2024. He was not even part of India's Champions Trophy triumph.
Watch - How MS Dhoni eased Mumbai Indians’ Vignesh Puthur’s nerves after Chennai Super Kings victory
The Mumbai Indians fast bowler is undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, striving to regain full fitness ahead of the Indian Premier League, which began on March 22.
Speaking on the injury, Sri Lankan legend and Mumbai Indians head coach, Mahela Jayawardena said in the pre-tournament press conference, “[Bumrah] has just started his progress. We have to wait and see what their [BCCI medical team] feedback is on him."
"At the moment, everything is going well. But, obviously, it is on a day-to-day basis. 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,” Jayawardena added on the fitness of the Indian pacer. Bumrah has played all his IPL cricket for the Mumbai Indians with 165 wickets in 133 matches.
Mumbai Indians falter at Chepauk as CSK win by 4 wickets
Afghanistan mystery spinner Noor Ahmad excelled on his Chennai Super Kings debut before skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad stuck a sublime fifty to set up a four-wicket win over their biggest rival Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.
Ahmad's four-wicket haul limited Mumbai Indians to a below-par 155/9 after the hosts put them in to bat on a slow surface. Gaikwad, batting at number three instead of opening alongside Rachin Ravindra, smashed 53 off 26 balls before the latter took over to ensure CSK got over the line in 19.1 overs. Ravindra remained unbeaten on 65 off 45 balls.
Watch - How MS Dhoni eased Mumbai Indians’ Vignesh Puthur’s nerves after Chennai Super Kings victory
IPL debutant Vignesh Puthur (3/32), a left-arm spinner from Kerala who has never played senior cricket, made life tough for CSK who eventually found a way to start their 2025 campaign with a win.
The 24-year-old Puthur removed Gaikwad, Shivam Dube and Deepak Hooda in quick succession with all three failing to dispatch the rookie spinner into the stands.
Watch - MS Dhoni stuns Suryakumar Yadav with lightning fast stumping in CSK vs MI showdown at Chepauk
Ravindra deposited Puthur for couple of sixes towards the end to keep the crowd going. The deafening roar came when MS Dhoni walked into the middle with four runs needed for the win but Ravindra hit the wining six.
With the loss, Mumbai Indians maintained their dubious record of not wining their opening game of the IPL since 2012.
Earlier, Ahmad (4/18) ran through the Mumbai Indians middle-order after Khaleel Ahmed (3/29) removed openers Rohit Sharma (0 off 4) and Ryan Rickelton (13 off 7) in the powerplay.
On a typical Chepauk surface, CSK got the early breakthroughs after putting the opposition in to bat.
Rohit was the first one to depart, flicking straight into the hands of Shivam Dube at mid-wicket off Khaleel.
Playing his first game for Mumbai Indians, Rickelton looked good in his brief cameo which ended when he played on to give Khaleel his second wicket.
R Ashwin, returning to CSK after 10 years, struck in his first over to make it 36 for three as Will Jacks offered a simple catch to Dube at mid-off.
Surykumar Yadav (29 off 26) and the in-form Tilak Varma (31 off 25) forged a 51-run partnership to take the innings forward before the M S Dhoni effected a lightening quick stumping off Ahmad to send back Mumbai Indians stand-in captain.
Dhoni showed he remains as sharp as ever behind the stumps with bails being dislodged even before Suryakumar could complete his bat swing.
Suryakumar led the side in the absence of Hardik Pandya, who could not play due to an over rate ban imposed last season.
What broke the back of Mumbai Indians batting was twin strike from Ahmad in his following over. He trapped Tilak with a googly two balls after getting rid of Robin Minz. His fourth wicket was Naman Dhir who played around his stumps to be bowled. Deepak Chahar, switching to Mumbai Indians from CSK, came up with a much needed 28 not out off 15 balls to take the team past 150. (With PTI inputs)
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