Will Hardik Pandya lose Mumbai Indians captaincy? ‘There were enough signs’, says report

Hardik Pandya is reportedly set to lose Mumbai Indians captaincy after another disastrous IPL season with the franchise, in which they failed to qualify for the playoffs. Pandya, who was traded back to the Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 season, had replaced Rohit Sharma as the captain.

After finishing 10th in IPL 2024 in Pandya's first season as captain, MI reached the playoffs last year, but had another poor season in the ongoing tournament, finishing ninth with just four wins from 14 matches.

Will Hardik Pandya lose Mumbai Indians captaincy?

The performances of some of the biggest players like Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah were not up to the mark for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026.

A report in the Indian Express claims that the Mumbai Indians management has decided to remove Pandya as the captain.

“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 source told the Indian Express.

More from Firstcricket

It also appears that players were not following coaching instructions during the 2026 season, which may have resulted in poor performances.

“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,” said a source.

There are also questions on whether Pandya will remain a part of the team next season.

“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?” a Mumbai Indians veteran told the Indian Express.

It will be interesting to see who is picked as the new captain for MI as Rohit, who led the franchise to five IPL titles, is already 39 years old. Age and fitness may not be on Suryakumar and Bumrah's sides as well. Tilak Varma could be an option or a new player that MI may buy in the next auction.