"It's odd year" - Mumbai Indians star makes a quirky observation while discussing franchise's fortunes ahead of IPL 2025

Senior Mumbai Indians (MI) batter Suryakumar Yadav asserted that the franchise could have a special year in the upcoming Indian Premier League - IPL 2025. Asked about the team's chances in the build-up to the season, he pointed out that 2025 is an odd year. Amazingly, MI have won four of their five IPL titles in odd years - 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. The sequence was broken in 2020.

Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians had a disastrous IPL 2024 season. They finished last in the points table, winning only four of their 14 matches. The all-rounder, however, has been retained as captain for the upcoming season.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Suryakumar backed Mumbai Indians to have an impressive 2025 IPL season. He commented (as quoted by PTI):

"It's odd year (2025), emotions are high, half of boys have reached there for training. I feel it will be a special year."

Mumbai Indians have won all five IPL titles under Rohit Sharma's leadership. However, after MI failed to win a single title under his captaincy after the 2020 season, Rohit was replaced as captain by Pandya. Incidentally, while Mumbai failed to make the playoffs under Pandya's leadership last year, the all-rounder played a key role in India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph under Rohit.

---

Suryakumar Yadav's record for Mumbai Indians

Suryakumar is the third-leading run-getter for the Mumbai Indians franchise. He has represented the MI franchise in 98 matches and has scored 3,033 at an average of 35.26 and a strike rate of 148.09, with two hundreds and 23 fifties. Only Rohit (5,731) and Kieron Pollard (3,915) have scored more runs from MI.

Mumbai Indians retained five players ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Apart from Suryakumar (₹16.35 crore), Pandya (₹16.35 crore) and Rohit (₹16.30 crore), they retained Jasprit Bumrah (₹18 crore) and Tilak Varma (₹8 crore). At the auction, they purchased 18 players, with injured Lizaad Williams being replaced by Corbin Bosch.

Pandya-led MI will begin their IPL 2025 campaign with a blockbuster clash against rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 23. The two franchises will clash again at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 20.