Mumbai Indians have retained Hardik Pandya for IPL 2025. But, he will not get the services of his star player in the first match of the 18th season. You must be thinking that IPL 2025 has not even started yet. Where did this idea of ​​Hardik not playing come from? Of course, now is the time for auction and not for the cricket action of IPL 2025. But whenever that time comes, Pandya will not be playing in it due to the ban imposed on him.

Fine for slow over rate

Hardik Pandya has been banned for slow over rate. Mumbai Indians' last match in IPL 2024 was with Lucknow Super Giants. In this match, captain Hardik became the victim of slow over rate. This was the third slow over rate imposed on him in that season, due to which he had to face a ban of 1 match with a fine of Rs 30 lakh.

Captain gets banned for slow over rate for the third time

According to the IPL Code of Conduct, if the team becomes a victim of slow over rate, then the captain has to pay a fine of Rs 12 lakh in the first instance. In the second time, this amount increases to Rs 24 lakh and for the third time, if the team becomes a victim of slow over rate, the same thing happens to the captain as happened to Hardik Pandya.

Who will be the captain in place of Hardik?

Now the question is that if Hardik will not be there in the first match, then who will captain Mumbai Indians? Players like Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav are contenders for this. But, Suryakumar Yadav will probably be at the forefront in the race in the eyes of the team management.

Mumbai Indians retained 5 players

Mumbai Indians have retained 5 players including Hardik Pandya for IPL 2025, in which the names of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Verma are also there. Mumbai retained Bumrah for 18 crores. Surya for Rs 16.35 crore, Rohit for Rs 16.30 crore and Tilak Verma for Rs 8 crore.