Mumbai Indians, who went through turmoil last season with many disruptions, ended up failing miserably under their new captain, Hardik Pandya. The team finished last on the table, with only a few wins (4) and many losses (10), which completely shook the squad. Now, with the IPL 2025 season approaching and the mega auction rules announced, allowing teams to retain six players in total, can we expect Hardik Pandya to be among those retained? If not, who will captain MI? Or, if he is retained but does not get the captaincy, what will happen then? Let’s look at three possible candidates to captain the MI team for IPL 2025 if Hardik Pandya doesn’t take the lead.
Mumbai Indians captain for IPL 2025
SuryaKumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav was initially seen as a strong candidate for the MI captaincy, but the franchise opted for Hardik Pandya to lead the team in IPL 2024. Now, with Suryakumar gaining valuable experience as the captain of India’s T20I team, MI might consider handing him the reins for IPL 2025. Although nothing is confirmed yet, Suryakumar has proven himself in the role, leading India to 8 victories in 10 matches so far.
While his captaincy experience at the international level is relatively fresh, it certainly hints that he could bring similar success to the Mumbai Indians, much like Rohit Sharma did. With his growing stature in both national and international cricket, he is undoubtedly emerging as a top contender for the captaincy.
Jasprit Bumrah
One more name that has already become the bowling leader, both for MI and India, is Jasprit Bumrah. This star pacer has expressed his interest in taking on a leadership role multiple times in the past. It is important to note that Hardik Pandya currently has a one-year contract with MI, and if he is not retained, Bumrah’s chances of becoming captain are significantly higher.
Like Suryakumar Yadav, Bumrah’s captaincy experience is limited, having led India in just three T20Is and one Test match. Under his leadership, India secured a 2-0 series win against Ireland, with one match being washed out. While his potential as a leader still needs to be fully understood, it will be interesting to see how he performs in such a role if he gets it.
Rohit Sharma
There is ongoing debate regarding Rohit Sharma’s future with MI, as many believe that the franchise may not retain him, or that he may choose to detach from the team himself. However, will the captain who led the franchise to five trophies be pulled back by management and handed the captaincy again? Currently, this possibility seems slim, but if it does happen, it could bring significant happiness to MI fans who were disappointed when Hardik Pandya was appointed captain. It will be interesting to see how this situation unfolds for Rohit Sharma and his current franchise in IPL 2025.
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