Mumbai Indians will kick off their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Both teams, tied with five IPL titles each, will be eager to win the record-breaking sixth championship. As both teams gear up for the big game, Suryakumar Yadav was involved in a heartwarming moment that has now gone viral. During a practice session, Yadav was seen interacting with fans when a young fan hesitated to pose for a selfie with him. Also Read: IPL 2025: CSK vs MI Match 3 Preview - Venue, Squads & More Due to her family’s encouragement, the young fan chose to hug Yadav instead. The Mumbai Indians batter smiled and took a selfie along with a short video. The clip has since taken social media by storm, with fans appreciating Yadav’s gesture towards the young fan. A cute video of Suryakumar Yadav having sweet moments with little cute Fangirl Khushi during today's practice session at Chepauk.❤️🥹 pic.twitter.com/WdTRdiI1cw — 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) March 21, 2025 Suryakumar Yadav to lead MI in Hardik Pandya's absence Suryakumar Yadav will step in as Mumbai Indians' captain for the franchise's season opener as Hardik Pandya serves a one-match suspension due to a slow over-rate offence in IPL 2024. With Pandya unavailable, MI has turned to India’s T20I captain to lead the side. Speaking about the decision, Pandya expressed full confidence in his teammate’s leadership skills. "Surya will be the ideal choice when I am not there," Pandya stated. While Yadav will lead MI, his recent form has been a concern. He has managed just 54 runs in his last nine T20I innings, averaging 6.75. However, Pandya remains unfazed by his struggles. "We are not worried about SKY. He has scored plenty of runs over the years. His form doesn’t concern us," Pandya reassured. MI head coach Mahela Jayawardena echoed similar sentiments, backing Yadav’s ability to bounce back. "I’m not very concerned. He played a couple of practice games, and I wish you were there to see him. He has been phenomenal at times. Of course, when he fails, we remind ourselves that he is human too," Jayawardena said. Mumbai Indians will be without both Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah for their first game, making Suryakumar Yadav’s performance crucial against a strong CSK side on Sunday.