IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya returns for MI, but why was he banned?

Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya is set to return to the field today for a clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT) after serving a one-match suspension in the opening game of IPL 2025. 

Pandya’s absence in MI's first match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) raised questions about the circumstances that led to his ban and the recent regulatory changes by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Why Was Hardik Pandya Banned?

Pandya's suspension resulted from Mumbai Indians' repeated slow over-rate violations in IPL 2024. Under the rules at the time, captains faced escalating penalties for slow over rates, culminating in a match ban for the third offence.

MI was found guilty of a third slow over-rate breach during their final league match against Lucknow Super Giants, which they lost by 18 runs. As a result, Pandya was suspended for MI’s opening game in IPL 2025.

The over-rate rule was enforced to ensure timely match completion, placing direct accountability on captains.

Fines were imposed for first and second offences, with a match ban applied for a third violation, and Hardik Pandya was slapped with a Rs 30 lakh fine amount.

BCCI Revises Over-Rate Penalties

In response to criticism, the BCCI revised the IPL's playing conditions ahead of the 2025 season. The previous system of automatically banning captains for repeated slow over-rate offences was abolished.

Instead, the board has now adopted the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) demerit points system, where penalties will now accumulate over a rolling three-year period. A match ban will only be imposed in extreme cases rather than as an automatic consequence of multiple slow over-rate offences.

What is ICC’s Demerits Point System?

The demerit point system is a way to track and penalize players, captains, or teams for breaking certain rules, like slow over rates. Here's how it works:
Points for Rule-Breaking: Every time a slow over-rate occurs, the offender (usually the captain) earns demerit points.

Tracking Over Time: These points are collected over three years instead of just one season. So, repeated offenses over a longer time can lead to bigger consequences.

Penalty Escalation: As points add up, penalties increase gradually. For example, fines might come first, and if someone repeatedly breaks the rules, they could face a suspension.

Only Severe Cases Lead to Match Bans: Match bans aren't automatic anymore; they only happen in extreme cases, like very frequent or major violations.