IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya Returns to Mumbai Indians After Champions Trophy Victory

Synopsis

Hardik Pandya rejoins the Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2025 after his significant role in India’s Champions Trophy win in Dubai. Despite a tough IPL 2024 season, he aims for better results. However, he will miss the opening match due to a one-match suspension for over-rate violations.

Key Takeaways

Hardik Pandya returns to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2025.
He played a crucial role in India's Champions Trophy victory.
Pandya's first season as captain saw him finish last with MI.
He is suspended for the opening match against CSK.
The coaching staff is focused on intense training for the new season.

Mumbai, March 11 (NationPress) Indian all-rounder and captain of the Mumbai Indians, Hardik Pandya, has rejoined the franchise ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.

Pandya was instrumental in India’s victorious campaign in the Champions Trophy held in Dubai, where the team, led by Rohit Sharma, triumphed over New Zealand in the final by four wickets, securing their third title in the eight-team tournament.

The Mumbai Indians took to social media to announce their captain’s arrival with a post saying, "The GUN has arrived".

Pandya was a key player in India’s success during the tournament, showcasing his all-round abilities. The 31-year-old played a vital role in the team’s strategy of utilizing four spinners, while also delivering match-winning performances with the bat from the No.7 position.

Last season, IPL 2024 marked Pandya’s debut as the captain of the Mumbai Indians, but it was a challenging year, with the franchise finishing last in the standings, securing only four victories out of 14 matches. He aims for improved results in the upcoming season.

However, Pandya will miss the opening match against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 23 due to a one-match suspension stemming from over-rate infractions during the previous edition. According to IPL regulations, a captain faces a one-match ban after their team commits three over-rate violations in a season.

On Monday, the coaching staff, including Mahela Jayawardene, Paras Mhambrey, and bowling coaches Lasith Malinga, along with assistant batting coach J. Arun Kumar and fielding coach Carl Hopkinson, conducted a rigorous training session for the squad as they commenced their camp. The session included players such as Naman Dhir, Bevon Jacobs, Robin Minz, KL Srijith, Raj Angad Bawa, PSN Raju, Ashwani Kumar, and Vignesh Puthur.

“This is a new season to start afresh. With new faces in the coaching team who bring decades of high-performance experience, players have plenty of information and knowledge to draw from. Pre-season is always thrilling, but maintaining intensity is crucial, and that’s what we strive to establish today and carry forward. It’s always a challenging season, but I want to ensure we prepare well during this time,” said Jayawardene.