After securing victory in the Champions Trophy 2025, Team India is now setting its sights on the T20 World Cup 2026. The tournament will be a crucial opportunity for India to create history, as Suryakumar Yadav will aim to lead the team to back-to-back T20 World Cup titles, a feat never achieved before.

However, before Gautam Gambhir's appointment as India's head coach, it was Hardik Pandya who was widely expected to take over as the next white-ball captain. Now, with IPL 2025 approaching, Pandya has a golden chance to reignite discussions about his leadership credentials, especially as he gears up to captain the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the tournament.

Hardik Pandya: A Shot at Redemption in IPL 2025

Hardik Pandya’s captaincy future with the Indian team took an unexpected turn over the past year. Despite once being considered Rohit Sharma's natural successor, he suddenly found himself out of India's leadership discussions, even losing his vice-captaincy role.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes Pandya has a golden opportunity in IPL 2025 to prove his worth and reclaim his status as a captaincy contender for India’s T20I team.

In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Chopra shared his thoughts on the situation:

"The biggest opportunity is for Hardik Pandya. He was almost the heir apparent to Rohit Sharma at one point. He used to captain whenever Rohit was unavailable. It was almost a given that he would be India's white-ball captain. However, suddenly, he has gone out of the captaincy list. No one is even discussing him. He is not even being made the vice-captain."

Why IPL 2025 Matters for Hardik Pandya

• Pandya led Gujarat Titans (GT) to their maiden IPL title in 2022 and took them to the final in 2023.
• However, after moving to MI for the 2024 season, the team finished last on the points table, and he received heavy criticism.
• With MI eager for a turnaround in IPL 2025, Pandya has the biggest chance to prove himself once again.
• A strong IPL season as captain could bring him back into India's T20I captaincy discussions.

"After that, suddenly, he is nowhere. He is not in the captaincy list. So it will be a season of slight personal redemption for him. Can he, as a captain, take the Mumbai Indians back to their former glory? If he does, there will be acceptance, but I think the biggest opportunity lies with Hardik Pandya," Chopra added.

Hardik Pandya Suspended for IPL 2025 Opener Against CSK

Hardik Pandya will miss Mumbai Indians' opening match in IPL 2025 against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) due to a suspension.

• The all-rounder accumulated three over-rate offences in IPL 2024.
• His third offence came in MI’s final game of the season, leading to an automatic one-match suspension.
• This means MI will be without both Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah (who is injured) for their crucial season opener against CSK.

Mumbai Indians will need to find a way to overcome these early setbacks, but for Pandya, the focus will be on the bigger picture—leading MI to a successful campaign and possibly reclaiming his position as a future leader in India's T20I setup.

While Suryakumar Yadav is currently leading India’s charge toward the T20 World Cup 2026, Hardik Pandya still has an outside chance to make a case for himself. His leadership in IPL 2025 will play a huge role in shaping his future with the Indian team.

If he can take MI back to their winning ways, selectors might reconsider him as a T20I captaincy option. But if he fails, he might slip further away from the national team’s leadership radar.

One thing is certain—IPL 2025 will be a defining season for Hardik Pandya.