table of contents
Mumbai Indians (MI) are going through one of the biggest crises in their illustrious Indian Premier League (IPL) history. The five-time champions now face big questions over the future of captain Hardik Pandya after another disastrous season in IPL 2026.
They were once known as the strongest and smartest franchise in the tournament, but now look completely broken on and off the field. Their painful two-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) officially ended their playoff hopes for IPL 2026.
Also read: “Looks very organised”: Ambati Rayudu, Sanjay Bangar surprised by Shubman Gill’s captaincy
With only three wins from 11 matches, Mumbai Indians are now at the bottom of the IPL 2026 points table, and fans are demanding major changes ahead of the next season. Now the biggest topic of discussion is Hardik Pandya’s future as captain.
Many believe that the MI management must take a brutal decision to avoid another disastrous cycle ahead of IPL 2027, and may remove Hardik Pandya as captain or release him, as their â‚ą16.35 crore experiment has failed miserably in three seasons.
Here are 5 reasons why Mumbai Indians should part ways with Hardik Pandya-
Hardik Pandya’s tactical failure and terrible captaincy
Hardik Pandya’s return to Mumbai Indians as captain ahead of IPL 2024 was expected to usher in a new era for the franchise after the successful leadership of Rohit Sharma, which led them to five titles. But the last three seasons under Hardik’s captaincy have turned into a nightmare for MI.
During Hardik Pandya’s first season as captain they finished at the bottom of the table in 2024 and one of the major reasons behind this was the anger among the fans to replace Rohit. Heavy criticism and social media trolling put Hardik under immense pressure, due to which he could not even manage the bowling rotation.
However, they improved in the 2025 season, as they reached the playoffs. Now, the situation has become even worse in IPL 2026 as the team struggles with poor bowling plans, confusing tactics and inconsistent performances.
Mumbai Indians have lost four matches at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, including three consecutive defeats at home, and have looked completely out of rhythm throughout the season. Many former cricketers have criticized the body language and tactical decisions of MI players in moments of crisis. Poor field placement, failure to read the conditions, and other basic equipment – ​​he failed miserably.
Declining all-round returns
Hardik Pandya’s performance as an all-rounder has also been heavily criticized. He was once considered one of India’s most dangerous all-rounders, but since returning to the franchise from Gujarat Titans, the MI captain has struggled to make a strong impact with both bat and ball.
With the bat, Hardik has failed to play the kind of match-winning innings or save the team in pressure situations that fans expect from him. He has managed only 216 runs on his return to MI, 224 in 2025 and 146 runs so far this season. His batting average and strike rate have also been disappointing.
At the same time, Hardik’s bowling performance has also declined rapidly. Opposition batsmen have targeted him regularly and his economy rate has become a major headache for MI. In the last three seasons, he took only 11 wickets at an average of 35.18 and an economy rate of 10.75 in 2024 and 14 wickets at an average of 24.42 and an economy rate of 9.77 in 2025.
He has taken only 4 wickets so far in the ongoing IPL 2026 at a high average of 61.50 and an economy rate of 11.90. Due to back spasms, Hardik could not play important matches in this season also.
Divided dressing room and alleged differences with players
Hardik Pandya’s controversial appointment as MI captain broke the bond that had once made the franchise a successful franchise under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma. The alleged division and rift inside the dressing room has been troubling Mumbai Indians since their return in 2024.
Several reports have claimed a lack of unity in the MI camp. Compared to teams that play with energy and unity, Mumbai never looks like a united team on the field. There are also reports that Hardik Pandya does not respect senior players and coaches and now the team is divided into two groups – one which does not support the current captain.
Many people are also not liking this style of Hardik. The body language and visible frustration during the game cannot be ignored, and all of these factors ultimately played a major role in the team’s downfall.
Poor bowling performance in recent IPL
Hardik Pandya has now become the target of rival batsmen in the league and his shocking statistics are proof of this. In the last three IPL seasons, they have struggled badly.
Pandya has taken only 11 wickets in 2024 at an average of 35.18 and an economy of 10.75; 14 wickets at an average of 24.42 and economy of 9.77 in 2025; And so far in IPL 2026, he has taken only 4 wickets at a poor average of 61.50 and economy rate of 11.90.
Better options are ready to take charge
Discussion has now started regarding a possible change in captaincy before IPL 2027. Jasprit Bumrah can be an ideal captain for Mumbai Indians due to his calm personality, intelligence and immense respect inside the dressing room.
Bumrah is seen as someone who can rebuild the team culture and bring stability back to the franchise. He has been loyal to the franchise since his debut and has captaincy experience, having led India in Test and T20I cricket in the past.
Suryakumar Yadav is also another option to replace Hardik Pandya. He is currently India’s T20I captain and also took over the Mumbai Indians responsibilities during Hardik’s absence this season. Suryakumar also shares a strong bond with most of the MI players in the team.
He successfully led India to the Asia Cup 2025 and T20 World Cup 2026 titles and won several bilateral series both home and away. Therefore, he could be a great option for the franchise for the next three-year cycle, and teams will be looking to build a new squad in the 2027 mega auction.
If Mumbai Indians are looking for a long-term option, then Tilak Verma is the best option as he can lead the team into the next generation. Young Tilak is calm, handles pressure very well, and has become one of MI’s most reliable middle-order batsmen.
He understands match situations smartly, has captaincy experience, has led India A and Hyderabad in domestic cricket and has an exceptional temperament even under pressure. These factors make him the ideal person to lead MI.
Also read: Ravichandran Ashwin exposes Abhishek Sharma, praises Sai Sudarshan and Shubman Gill on SRH opener
