Suryakumar Yadav will lead Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2025 opener against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai on Sunday, March 23. Hardik Pandya, who is the regular captain of MI, will miss the first match of the season due to an over-rate ban he picked up in the final league game of the previous edition. The management confirmed the news during the press conference on March 19. π¨ πππ«ππ’π€ ππ§π πππ‘ππ₯π π‘ππ―π ππ«π«π’π―ππ ππ¨π« ππ‘π ππ«π-π¬πππ¬π¨π§ ππ«ππ¬π¬ ππ¨π§πππ«ππ§ππ π¨Stay tuned for all updates here β‘οΈ https://t.co/hjq62ItHrf#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 19, 2025 Speaking to the media about Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya said: "SKY has scored a lot of runs over the years. For me, he is batting brilliantly. He has been a proven match-winner for India and Mumbai Indians." He also spoke about the plans for the upcoming season and said that the team will concentrate only on playing good cricket. "Just play good cricket. Being with each other at the same point of time. Doing the processes right. Go and execute. With this group, considering the talent, we will look ahead to enjoy the games," he said. When asked about who would be opening alongside Rohit Sharma, the MI captain said that they would take the decision depending on what the team needs. "We will take a call depending on what the team needs," he said. He also added that he is lucky to play alongside three captains in the team and how they have helped him throughout the season. "I am lucky that I have three captains playing with me - Rohit, Surya and Bumrah. They always place an arm around my shoulder and are there when I need any help," he said. 'We pride on our core group': Mahela Jayawardene Mahela Jayawardene, who has been appointed as the head coach of Mumbai Indians replacing Mark Boucher, said that the team is successful because of their core group. "We pride on our core group, that's the reason for our success across the years," he said. He also admitted that the last season threw some challenges for the franchise and they are raring to go this year. "Last season, threw us some challenges. But it's been a big auction with that we have a fresh canvas. With our core team and the new group of guys, including the returning Trent Boult. We want to put the puzzle together and have a good start", he said. Mumbai Indians finished in the last spot in the IPL 2024 season, managing to win only four out of their 14 matches. Also Read: AB de Villiers: Virat Kohli Doesn't Need to Increase Strike Rate in IPL 2025 The team will start their campaign against Chennai Super Kings as they look to become the first team to lift the trophy for the sixth time.