A punishment suit for latecomers!

Move over, Superman and Batman — there’s a new caped crusader in town! Say hello to Laterman, the superhero nobody dreams of becoming, yet a few unfortunate Mumbai Indians players have found themselves channeling. MI has whipped up a “motivational” masterpiece: the punishment suit. This season’s version? A suspiciously stylish superhero outfit that straddles the fine line between public humiliation and pure comedy gold.

The 2025 season has already witnessed Will Jacks, Raj Bawa, and Tilak Varma strutting their stuff as Laterman, headlining the MI “Late Show.” But worry not — this ritual is all in good fun, meant to build camaraderie and, ideally, get everyone to the team bus on time.

And let’s not pretend this is MI’s first rodeo with fashion-as-penance. Last year, Ishan Kishan, Shams Mulani, and Nuwan Thushara earned their place in the tardy hall of fame by rocking a truly unforgettable “co-ord set”— splashed with mugshots of their own teammates. Yes, it was as gloriously awful as it sounds.

But perhaps the most tragically comic fashion victims were Hritik Shokeen and Arshad Khan, whose version of the “cape of shame” was noticeably lacking in superhero sparkle and veering dangerously into Halloween-party-leftovers territory.

To MI’s credit, the evolution of the punishment suit shows a shift from sheer embarrassment to cleverly choreographed fun. In a high-octane world of sixes, sledging, and sky-high expectations, it’s oddly comforting to see a franchise that isn’t afraid to laugh at itself — even if it means turning their players into part-time comic book characters.