Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians finished in 9th place in IPL 2026 after suffering 10 defeats in 14 matches this year.
Published: May 29, 2026, 10:27 AM IST
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Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians failed to qualify for IPL 2026 Playoffs. (Photo: IANS)
Nita Ambani-owned Mumbai Indians have endured a disastrous season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, finishing in 9th place on the Points Table. Five-time former champions MI lost 10 out of their 14 matches to finish with only 8 points and the direct impact of the shocking performance is set to fall on their current skipper and all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Hardik, who was retained for Rs 16.35 crore ahead of IPL 2026, was given the reigns of the team in IPL 2024 season with Rohit Sharma getting sacked. But he has failed to bring a record sixth title for the team after leading Gujarat Titans to their maiden title in IPL 2022 season.
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According to an Indian Express newspaper report, MI are set to sack Hardik Pandya as the captain at the end of the IPL 2026 season. MI have failed to reach the Playoffs stages in two of the last three seasons in the IPL under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya and have failed to win the title in the last six years.
The report also added that MI owners are also in discussion about Hardik’s place in the squad as well. “There were enough signs during the season that the team management wasn’t keen to retain him as captain. There is a clear buzz in the camp,” a MI source was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
‘Senior MI players need to be coachable’
The MI team management which includes former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene believes that senior players in the team including Hardik, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah need to be ‘coachable’
“The coaching staff was very clear in their message to the senior players that wherever they play, they need to be coachable. There were many instances where the coaching staff recommended something which was backed by data but players didn’t follow it,” the MI source told Indian Express.
“There will be serious introspection and discussion in the coming days. Every option would be weighed. Many questions need to be addressed. Going ahead, can Hardik be the captain? Does he stay in the team just as a player?” according to a MI old-timer.
Hardik Pandya’s IPL captaincy record
Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has won 41 matches as captain in the IPL in 77 games with 35 losses and 1 no-result to his name. Out of these, he won 22 out of 31 matches while at the helm of Gujarat Titans with 9 losses. For Mumbai Indians since 2024, he won only 19 matches in 46 ties and suffered 22 losses with 1 no-result.
Meanwhile, the MI team management have other concerns about the team apart from Hardik Pandya’s captaincy. They feel that the team weren’t able to capitalize on the Powerplay over with Rohit Sharma’s hamstring injury and poor form of other openers Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickleton.
“We haven’t been able to use the Powerplay like some of the more successful teams this IPL. We haven’t moved with the times,” the MI source said.
Hardik Pandya was originally a find by MI scouts but was released before IPL 2022 as he joined Gujarat Titans for a couple of season. After he had replaced Rohit Sharma as captain in IPL 2024, just days after India lost ODI Word Cup 2023 final, he was initially booed by the MI fans even at their home ground at Wankhede Stadium.
