Multiple players from the Indian Premier League franchise (IPL) Mumbai Indians (MI) donned the Indian cricket team jersey at the highest stage of cricket, including India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. During a YouTube podcast, he credited Mumbai Indians for grooming multiple talents over the years who have done some remarkable jobs for the nation.

Yadav dragged MI into the discussion because of Tilak Varma. They were discussing Tilak Varma's Asia Cup 2025 final match-winning knock before mentioning the multi-time IPL-winning franchise. Who is Tilak, who batted with so much confidence and composure? In reply, Surya focused on his background, from which he groomed himself. Like Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma also played for the Mumbai Indians.

For Yadav, the Mumbai-based franchise is the "Gurukul," where an emerging cricketer can polish his skills with methodical training and discipline. As Varma played multiple matches for MI, Surya claimed that the 22-year-old already knew how to handle pressure situations before the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 Final match. 

Read More: 'Wo Bahar Se Sayad Kuch...'- Suryakumar Yadav Discuss How Gautam Gambhir Helped Him From Outside of Field During Asia Cup 2025

Mumbai Indians is the institute: Suryakumar Yadav 

"Before Team India, we played for the Mumbai Indians; it was like a Gurukul, an institute, for us. Mumbai Indians is the foundation where players are built. When we play for Mumbai Indians, we already feel the pressure, so when we play for India, we just try to replicate what we did for Mumbai Indians," Suryakumar Yadav said. 

Meanwhile, in the Asia Cup 2025 final, he scored 69 not out against 53 deliveries with three 4s and four 6s. India won the match by 5 wickets, chasing a target of 147 runs.

The left-handed batter of the Mumbai Indians, Tilak Varma, has been in incredible form during the final of the Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Coming at a tough position of 3/20 in four overs during the chase, the southpaw smashed an unbeaten 69 runs in 53 balls at a strike rate of 130.18 with the help of three boundaries and four over boundaries. 

A video has gone viral on social media from the Mumbai Indians franchise, where someone recalled that the batter that the crowd was shouting for was not from Mumbai during a game. In response, Varma stated that, although he had been in Mumbai, he was still part of the team.

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Varma has smashed 962 runs in 30 innings of the shortest format at an average of 53.44 and a strike rate of 149.14, with the help of four half-centuries and two centuries at the best score of unbeaten 120 runs. In 51 IPL innings, he clubbed 1499 runs at an average of 37.47 and a strike rate of 144.41 with eight fifties at the best score of unbeaten 84 runs.

Watch: Tilak Varma shows swag as Mumbai Indians post viral video

When Tilak walked into the middle during the Asia Cup 2025 final, he aimed to stand there in the middle, holding one end, besides making sure that the required run rate stays inside their territory. He played a sensational and balanced knock, which helped them get over the finishing line.

 

 

 

 

 

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During the last season of the IPL for the Mumbai Indians, the left-handed batter shouldered the responsibility several times. He smashed 343 runs in 13 innings at an average of 31.18 and a strike rate of around 140 with the help of two half-centuries at the best score of 59.

Tilak will look to break into the ODI side of the Indian team. Upon his return from the Asia Cup 2025, he featured in a couple of unofficial ODIs against Australia A for India A in Kanpur.

Mumbai Indians (MI) is all set to take a massive step ahead of the IPL 2026. There are high chances to see the former Indian Premier League champions with a new captain from the upcoming season. Which means the Hardik Pandya era can soon come to an end.

Hardik's debut season as the MI captain was during IPL 2024, which was a disappointing campaign for the IPL team. For the next season, in IPL 2025, the team management decided to stick with Captain Pandya. The Mumbai Indians had to experience a hard time during the initial stage of the season. After sustaining multiple setbacks, the team bounced back and went to play the playoffs, though they were not good enough to qualify for the final match.

For a team with multiple IPL trophies in the cabinet, failures in back-to-back seasons were not something the management was expecting. Ahead of IPL 2026, it is expected to see some reinforcement in their squad. According to the latest updates, Mumbai Indians can remove Hardik Pandya from the leadership role.

Read More: IND vs WI, 1st Test, Day 2: Match highlights and key performances

Mumbai Indians can remove Hardik Pandya from captaincy 

As per claims, MI management can appoint Suryakumar Yadav as their new captain from the upcoming season. Yadav was one of the few batters who scored runs continuously for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025. In terms of stats, it was his best IPL season in terms of individual performances. In 16 matches and 16 innings, the right-handed batter scored 717 runs at an amazing batting average of 65.18.

When MI team management removed Rohit Sharma from the leadership duty, it was speculated that Yadav could take charge. The speculations caught pace after IPL 2024 as well. Suryakumar as a leader is already a proven talent. Recently, he guided Team India to become the Asia Cup 2025 champion as the undisputed team. 

Jasprit Bumrah played a big role in India’s Asia Cup 2025 victory against Pakistan, but after the final, he surprised fans with a mystery announcement. On Instagram, he wrote, “Yes, rumours are true. I am joining my 3rd blue team. Revealing tomorrow.” Bumrah already plays for two blue teams — India and his IPL side Mumbai Indians — and his post has left fans guessing about the third one.

The fast bowler also grabbed attention in the final for his celebration against Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf. Bumrah bowled a toe-crushing yorker to dismiss Rauf and then made the “plane crashing” gesture, a response to Rauf’s similar celebration during the Super-4 clash. That earlier act had earned Rauf a 30 percent fine on his match fees by the ICC. Bumrah’s reply quickly went viral on social media, adding extra spice to the high-stakes game.

Reflecting on the tournament, Bumrah shared his thoughts about playing Pakistan three times. “It has been exciting. Not very often in a multinational tournament you play one opposition three times, so interesting is the word for me,” he said. He added, “Any game, you start from zero. You start with confidence, but you do not go too high or too low. We only focus on our teams, our strengths, our combinations, we do well. If we look at the other team, it does not work well.”

India’s Win in the Final

In the title clash at Dubai, Pakistan made a fast start with the bat but collapsed in the middle overs. Spinners Varun Chakravarthy (2 wickets) and Kuldeep Yadav (4 wickets) were outstanding as Pakistan went from a strong position to being bowled out for 146 in 19.1 overs. Sahibzada Farhan’s 57 off 38 balls was the only significant score for them.

INSTAGRAM STORY JASPRIT BUMRAH 🤯 pic.twitter.com/TFgZCptDK3

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 29, 2025

See Also: ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025: IND-W vs SL-W Today Match Prediction– 1st Match, Who will win today?

India’s chase was not smooth either, as they lost three wickets inside the powerplay. Tilak Varma, however, held the innings together with a mature knock. He built important partnerships with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube to steady things. In the end, Rinku Singh smashed a boundary off the third last ball to seal a five-wicket win, handing India their record ninth Asia Cup title.

On September 24, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar used social media to wish his son Arjun Tendulkar for his 26th birthday. Arjun, who plays domestic cricket for Goa, was sent a sweet message from his father that was filled with both love and pride for the young cricketer.

On X, Sachin wrote about how lucky they are to have Arjun and how happy they are to see him grow into a wonderful person. His post reflected the joy of watching his son develop, both as a human being and as a cricketer.

“We are lucky to have you as our son. To watch you grow into the amazing human being that you are has been a joy. We are so proud of you. Happy birthday, Arjun!! May God bless you always,” Sachin wrote.

Arjun’s Cricket Journey and Personal Life

Sachin has also acted as a mentor for Arjun, following his growth closely on the field. The left-arm bowler, who can bat as well, has played 17 first-class matches, taking 37 wickets, and 18 List A matches, claiming 25 wickets. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), he represents Mumbai Indians (MI). Mumbai drafted him in 2021 for ₹20 lakh, and then retained him in 2022 for ₹30 lakh. He has played five IPL matches to date and has taken four wickets overall.

See Also: Harsha Bhogle Picks Mustafizur Rahman as Bangladesh’s Trump Card Against India

Off the field, Arjun recently proposed to Saaniya Chandok, a businesswoman from Mumbai. Saaniya graduated in 2020 from the London School of Economics and launched her own pet spa, Mr Paws, in 2022, providing grooming and skincare services for pets. With both his cricketing career and romantic life doing well, Arjun continues to make his family proud, every step of the way guided, supported and encouraged by his father, Sachin Tendulkar.

The former leg spinner of the Mumbai Indians side, Rahul Chahar, has recalled a moment from the first qualifier of the 2020 season of the Indian Premier League at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, where he shared the ins and outs of the bond and motivation of the Nagpur-born and how the latter handled the situation.

Mumbai Indians won the IPL clash comfortably to make their way into the final of the season. However, in the 201-run defense, Rahul didn’t enjoy a great time with the ball in the second innings. Delhi’s top three returned to the pavilion for zero runs in 1.2 overs. However, Chahar ended with figures of 0/35 in two overs as he was about to leave the field with his head down.

See Also: WATCH: Yuvraj Singh wishes Abhishek Sharma on his birthday with special video

“So many times, (Rohit bhai showed his leadership). There’s one incident I can never forget. It was our semifinal against Delhi. I had gone for around 30 runs and was walking with my head down. Rohit Bhai held my hand and said, ‘Walk ahead, lead the team. He said that if you had not done well in one game, the entire season has gone well.” Chahar expressed during a recent podcast, as the video went viral.

Watch: Rahul Chahar gives example of how Rohit Sharma motivated him during IPL 2020

Chahar, the 26-year-old, has featured in seven games for the national side to collect 10 wickets with the best of 3/15 in an innings during the T20Is. In the history of the 78 IPL innings, he has grabbed 75 wickets at an average of under 29 and an economy rate of 7.72.

Rahul Chahar : There’s one incident I can never forget. It was our semifinal against Delhi. I had gone for around 30 runs and was walking with my head down. Rohit Bhai held my hand and said, ‘Walk ahead, lead the team.’

Rohit Sharma- A true leader 🙌🏻

pic.twitter.com/JFbygrUmOF

— Rohan💫 (@rohann__45) September 4, 2025

“The motivation is always there from him. Not only in the field that he motivates you. There had been a time when I was sitting in the team meeting, and I was sitting between Rohit bhai and Kieron Pollard. I don’t know how to deal with it. But Rohit bhai takes charge and starts talking. He knows how to manage those situations.” Chahar added.

On the other hand, Rohit is expected to appear for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia down under. He aims to keep his fitness at its best to keep playing till the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

Former Mumbai Indians (MI) spinner Rahul Chahar opened up on Hardik Pandya taking over as captain from Rohit Sharma in IPL 2024. Hardik returned to MI after a trade from Gujarat Titans (GT) and was immediately handed the captaincy. The move drew backlash from fans, with Rohit’s removal not sitting well and Hardik facing boos in multiple games.

Chahar stressed that captaincy decisions depend on the connection between the franchise and the player. He explained that what someone contributes on the field matters more than the leadership tag. Chahar also pointed out that irrespective of what happens within the franchise, it should never show on a player’s face.

"Life goes on. Every team will have its time; there will be new captains. We can't tell anything like that. It is about their connection and who they want to make the captain. But I think it is important as to what you do for the team. Even as a player, Rohit is cool. It's all perfect unless you don't have needs from someone. I think that's what MI wanted: that you give your 100% and nothing should be seen on anyone's face. Not only MI, but any team," Chahar told Filmygyan.

Rahul Chahar on Rohit Sharma’s leadership

Rahul Chahar also reflected on his time under Rohit Sharma at MI from 2019 to 2021 during which he was part of 2 IPL title-winning squads. He praised Rohit for his cool demeanor, saying the captain always knew how to handle players differently and would back them in tough moments.

Watch the video here

See Also: India 2013 Champions Trophy winner retires from international cricket

The 26-year-old also remembered the IPL 2020 Qualifier 1 against Delhi Capitals, in which he conceded 35 runs in two overs. While accepting that his performance wasn't his best, Rohit told him to make sure he led the team back and that one performance could not take away from an excellent season. Chahar noted that Rohit’s ability to motivate teammates has been central to MI’s success, which includes five IPL trophies under his captaincy.

Afghanistan’s new sensational mystery-spinner, Allah Ghazanfar, has found incredible success in the last couple of years of his cricket career. The 19-year-old has picked up only 21 wickets in 11 innings of the ODIs as he made his debut in the shortest format against Pakistan on September 02, but couldn’t earn any wickets in Sharjah. 

In 42 T20 innings, the Afghanistan spinner, Ghazanfar has picked up overall 54 wickets at an average of under 20 and a strike rate of 17.2 with an economy rate of 6.89, with the best bowling figure of 4/12 in an innings. Slowly but steadily, he has become a household name in the franchise league across the globe.

See Also: Former BCCI president returns to CSK ahead of IPL 2026

“IPL is the best league in the world with the best players, coaches & infrastructure in the world. Everything is the best. The KKR experience was great, but I couldn’t play. It was great to be picked by five-time champions MI too; they showed confidence in me, but I got injured. Hopefully, next year, I will have that experience of playing in the IPL.” Ghazanfar expressed the success of IPL on Revsportz.

Mumbai Indians' Allah Ghazanfar predicts Afghanistan to win Asia Cup 2025 

As a preparation for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, the Afghanistan side is going through a tri-series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the games are taking place in Sharjah. They won a vital game against Pakistan and have mostly qualified for the final of the event against the same side.

Ghazanfar claimed that, given their side had done well in the last couple of years, they would go into the tournament with a strong squad. Looking at their batting, bowling, and how the team is packed with spinners, he was fully confident of winning this edition of the Asia Cup.

“We have a balanced team. Experienced and young players are there. Our team has been doing well for the last 3-4 years. Afghanistan can win the Asia Cup. Our batting, bowling, and spinners are packed. It’s a stacked team. I am confident we can do it.” Ghazanfar predicted on the same interaction.

The Mumbai Indians, who are the joint-most successful franchise with five trophies in the Indian Premier League (IPL), have added another team to the cabin. They already have one in the WPL, SA20 named MI Cape Town, MLC named MI New York, and ILT20 named MI Emirates. Now, in The Hundred, they have got the MI London. The Hundred’s most successful side, Oval Invincibles, is going to rebrand as the MI London side, the first choice of their Indian co-owners.

The change is anticipated to take place in 2026 and will bring the side in line with the rest of the Ambai family’s Mumbai Indians stable. The Hundred tournament will undergo a major change from the next season with a new ownership model and host venues running teams alongside the new investors, who have brought at least 49% of each team.

See Also: PCB bans YouTuber after Mohammed Hafeez's statement on Mohsin Naqvi before Asia Cup 2025

Surrey is closing a partnership with the richest family in Asia, the Ambani family, who brought the Oval side in an auction valued at 123 million pounds. The success of the franchise will now be expanded even through the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Mumbai Indians earn Oval Invincibles for The Hundred and rename from 2026

Oval has been in incredible touch during the ongoing season of the 100-ball league. They are currently at the top of the points table with five victories in six encounters at a net run rate of +2.158. They are currently on a three-match winning streak, including the six-wicket victory at the home ground, the Kennington Oval in South London, against the Trent Rockets.

“From a brand perspective, I hope we can brand it as a Surrey-branded team and part of our cricket ecosystem.” The chairman said in 2023. The Surrey-Reliance deal is one of the eight in the Hundred that has been fully completed. There are, however, a number of issues to iron out.

Manchester Originals will also become the Manchester Supergiants, while the Northern Superchargers will also have the phase Sunrisers in their name. Oval is the most successful with their men’s side and women’s side winning two of the four editions of the event. The men’s side could also earn its third title this year.  

Hardik Pandya has been a superb power hitter in the lower order of the Indian cricket team and for the Mumbai Indians in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Coming into number five or six, the right-handed batter has always contributed with the big shots to provide the teams a chance to finish on a high in the innings.

On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah is a premier pacer of India and world cricket across formats. The right-arm pacer has the skill of foxing such batters with his smart bowling, thunder yorkers, and change of pace. Bumrah also carries the ability of picking wickets with the new ball inside the powerplay.

See Also: Sachin Tendulkar joins new partnership as 'ask me anything' session scheduled on this date

A viral has gone viral in the social media where it has come most probably from the net session of the IPL 2025 for the Mumbai Indians between Pandya and Bumrah. The first of the three-ball set to the all-rounder from the bowler was a length ball outside the off-stump to which Hardik swung his willow for a six.

Watch: Hardik Pandya faces Jasprit Bumrah in MI nets during IPL 2025 as video goes viral 

The second ball of the set from the Ahmedabad-born was a low full toss into the legs as the right-handed batter timed it perfectly into the ropes for a boundary. Bumrah perhaps aimed to get the yorker but mistimed it to a low full toss. But as he does, Bumrah hardly missed any yorker. The third ball was on the root of the stumps as Pandya had no clue apart from seeing his stumps getting rattled.

 

 

 

 

 

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During the IPL, both these players have face each other, when Pandya was appointed the captain of the Gujarat Titans for two seasons of the league when he left the Mumbai side in 2022 and 2023. During those two editions, Bumrah bowled six balls at Pandya, who was able to get just three runs in reply without getting dismissed.

Both players have been selected in the 15-member squad for India for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 in the United Arab Emirates. They will look to bring their best performance with bat and ball respectively to defend their title from the last edition which they won in 2023 for the 50-over format.