Hardik Pandya's IPL captaincy uncertain? MI coach stays tight-lipped after wayward season: 'Never know what's going to happen'

After a turbulent season that saw the Mumbai Indians finish ninth, franchise batting coach Kieron Pollard stopped short of committing to Hardik Pandya’s captaincy for the next season.

Mumbai Indians were defeated by the Rajasthan Royals in their final league-stage fixture in IPL 2026 season. Image: Reuters

FirstCricket Staff|May 25, 2026, 13:12:54 IST

Mumbai Indians' batting coach Kieron Pollard did not commit to Hardik Pandya's future as captain for the next season after another disappointing Indian Premier League campaign in 2026.

Five-time champions MI endured a season marked by inconsistency, finishing ninth in the IPL 2026 standings. Injuries and questionable captaincy decisions compounded their struggles, raising doubts about Pandya's leadership qualities.

MI batting coach assesses Hardik's captaincy

Following MI's defeat to the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday, Pollard acknowledged that Hardik was fully backed and given the best opportunities to lead the team, but things didn’t go as planned for him as captain.

“Yes, it has not gone maybe as well as he would have wanted as an individual. It might not have gone the way we would have wanted as a management staff. But one thing you know is that we have tried each and everything to give the best opportunity to lead the franchise and do well,” Pollard said.

MI coach says 'thorough' review would be done

The last time the MI won the IPL title was in 2020, and their 2026 campaign signalled the need for a major overhaul. Pollard revealed that a "thorough" review would be conducted, but decisions would not be rushed as the management would "sit back and think about what’s needed."

In their final league-stage encounter on Sunday, MI were defeated by the Rajasthan Royals by 30 runs. RR's victory secured a playoff berth, setting up a clash against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator on Wednesday, May 27, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.

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