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Mumbai Indians (MI) are going through one of the biggest crises in their glorious Indian Premier League (IPL) history. The five-time champions now face the massive questions over the future of captain Hardik Pandya following another disastrous season in IPL 2026.
They were once known as the strongest and smartest franchise in the tournament but now look completely broken both on and off the field. Their painful two-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) officially ended their playoff hopes for IPL 2026.
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With only three wins in 11 matches, the Mumbai Indians are now sitting near the bottom of the IPL 2026 points table, and fans are demanding major changes before the next season. The biggest talking point is now Hardik Pandya’s future as captain.
Many feel MI management must make a ruthless decision to avoid another disastrous cycle ahead of IPL 2027, and that could be axing Hardik Pandya as captain or releasing him, as their ₹16.35-crore experiment has backfired badly over the three seasons.
Here are the 5 reasons why Mumbai Indians must part ways with Hardik Pandya—
Hardik Pandya's tactical failure and horrific captaincy
Hardik Pandya’s return to the Mumbai Indians as captain before IPL 2024 was expected to start a new era for the franchise after Rohit Sharma’s successful leadership that saw them win five titles. But the last three seasons have turned into a nightmare for MI under Hardik’s captaincy.
They finished at the bottom of the table in 2024 during Hardik Pandya’s first season as captain, and one of the key reasons behind this was anger among the fans for replacing Rohit. Massive boos and social media trolling put Hardik under immense pressure, so that he could not even manage bowling rotations.
However, they improved in the 2025 season, as they reached the playoffs. Now, in IPL 2026, the situation has become even worse as the team continues to struggle with poor bowling plans, confusing tactics, and inconsistent performances.The
Mumbai Indians have lost four matches at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, including three straight defeats at home, and have looked completely out of rhythm throughout the season. Many former cricketers have criticized the MI players’ body language and tactical decisions during the crunch moments. Poor field placements, failure to read the conditions, and other basic tools—he failed badly.
Diminishing All-Round Returns
Hardik Pandya’s performances as an all-rounder have also come under heavy criticism. He was once considered one of India’s most dangerous all-rounders, but the MI skipper has struggled to make a strong impact with both bat and ball since returning to the franchise from Gujarat Titans.
With the bat, Hardik has failed to play the kind of match-winning knocks or rescue the team during pressure situations that fans expect from him. He managed only 216 on MI return, 224 in 2025, and 146 runs so far this season. His batting average and strike rates have also been disappointing.
At the same time, Hardik’s bowling performances have also declined sharply. Opposition batters have targeted him regularly, and his economy rate has become a major headache for MI. Over the last three seasons, he managed only 11 wickets, averaging 35.18 and an economy rate of 10.75 in 2024 and 14 wickets in 2025 at an average of 24.42 and an economy rate of 9.77.
He has managed only 4 wickets at a high average of 61.50 and an economy rate of 11.90 so far in the ongoing IPL 2026. Hardik also missed important matches this season because of back spasms.
Split Dressing Room & Alleged Rift with Players
Hardik Pandya's controversial appointment as MI captain broke the bond that once made the franchise a successful franchise under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. The reported divide and rift inside the dressing room have been troubling the Mumbai Indians since his return in 2024.
Several reports claimed a lack of unity in the MI camp. Compared to teams playing with energy and togetherness, Mumbai is never seen as a united team on the field as well. There are also reports that Hardik Pandya does not respect the senior players and coaches, and now the team is divided into two groups—one that does not support the current skipper.
Even Hardik’s style is not liked by many. Body language and visible frustration during games are undeniable to notice, and all these factors eventually played a major role in the team’s downfall.
Poor bowling performance in recent IPLs
Hardik Pandya has now become the target for the rival batters in the league, and his shocking numbers are proof. Over the last three IPL seasons, he has struggled badly.
Pandya has taken only 11 wickets in 2024 at an average of 35.18 and economy of 10.75; 14 wickets in 2025 at an average of 24.42 and economy of 9.77; and just 4 wickets so far in IPL 2026 at a poor average of 61.50 and economy rate of 11.90.
Better alternatives ready to take over
The discussions have now already started about possible captaincy changes before IPL 2027. Jasprit Bumrah could become the ideal captain for the Mumbai Indians because of his calm personality, intelligence, and massive 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 also been loyal to the franchise since his debut and has captaincy experience, having led India in Tests and T20I cricket in the past.
On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav is also another option to replace Hardik Pandya. He is currently India’s T20I captain and even handled Mumbai Indians responsibilities during Hardik’s absence this season. Suryakumar also shares a strong bond with most MI players in the squad.
He successfully captained India to the Asia Cup 2025 and the T20 World Cup 2026 titles and won many bilateral series both at home and away. So, he can be a great option for the franchise for the next three-year cycle, and teams will build a fresh squad in the 2027 mega auction.
If the Mumbai Indians look for the long-term option, then Tilak Varma is the best option, as he can lead the team in the next generation. The young Tilak is calm, handles pressure very well, and has become one of MI’s most reliable middle-order batters.
He understands match situations smartly, has captaincy experience, having led India A and Hyderabad in domestic cricket, and also has an exceptional temperament under pressure. These factors make him the ideal man to lead MI.
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