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Could Rohit Sharma once again don the captain's armband for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026? There aren't any confirmed reports at this time, but the possibility exists.
After the 2023 season, Sharma was sacked as MI captain despite leading the team to five IPL titles. Then, Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya was traded in to replace him as skipper for IPL 2024. MI finished tenth in 2024, third in 2025, and currently ninth in 2026.
Key Points
- Hardik Pandya is reportedly unavailable for the RCB clash because of a back spasm injury.
- Suryakumar Yadav, who captained MI previously in Hardik’s absence, is also expected to miss the match.
- Mumbai Indians may now need a third captain for their crucial game against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
- Rohit Sharma had previously led MI to five IPL titles before being replaced as captain after the 2023 season.
Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav ruled out - Can Rohit Sharma return as captain?
MI's next match is against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Raipur on May 10. Reports available now have said that MI's regular skipper Hardik Pandya did not jet off to Raipur with the team.
Pandya missed Mumbai's latest match - against Lucknow Super Giants in Mumbai on May 4 - with a back spasm. Suryakumar Yadav filled in for Pandya at this match. Yadav had also filled in for Pandya against the Delhi Capitals on April 4 after the latter had fallen ill.
Now, further reports have claimed that Suryakumar Yadav will also be unavailable for the clash in Raipur due to a family-related reason.
Also Read: Hardik Pandya refuses to travel with MI for RCB clash in IPL 2026
This means that MI will have to look for a third captain within their ranks this season. It looks like that they will not fall back on Rohit Sharma, but take a different approach with Jasprit Bumrah, most likely, being given the opportunity to lead the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2026 match against RCB on May 10.
If not Rohit Sharma, then who?
On the surface, there are two visible candidates within MI to take the baton if it doesn't go to Rohit Sharma. Jasprit Bumrah and Tilak Varma.
Pace ace Bumrah has led India in three Tests (one in England in 2022 and two in Australia in 2024/25) and two T20Is (in Ireland in 2023). Before a serious back-injury in late 2024, Bumrah was named India's official vice-captain in Test cricket. But, he is going through a patch of bad form and captaincy may not be ideal for him at this point.
Tilak Varma is still only 23, but in 2023 - at just 21 - he was named Hyderabad's captain for the Ranji Trophy. The same year, he had captained his state team in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as well. In 2024, he contiued as Hyderabad's captain, but was also named the captain of India A for the Emerging Asia Cup in 2024.
In 2025, he was named South Zone's captain in the Duleep Trophy. Naming Tilak Varma the captain at just 23 may feel like a strong move, but Mumbai Indians are known to make those.
This was the same franchise that in 2013, named a 26-year-old Rohit Sharma as its captain following Ricky Ponting's retirement despite names like Harbhajan Singh, Ambati Rayudu, Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga present in the team. That year, Rohit set a record for becoming the youngest captain to win the IPL title.
MI's 2026 season is fully done and dusted though. There aren't any real miracles coming for them now since they have lost 7 out of 10 matches. They can only play spoilsport now.
Outside candidates for captaincy
MI are most reliably likely to stick to either Bumrah or Tilak, but there are certain candidates with an outside chance.
Quinton de Kock has the experience of captaining his country in all three formats and T20 franchise leagues. Shardul Thakur was Mumbai and West Zone's captain in the latest domestic season. But neither of them have a permanent place in the team locked down.
It remains to be seen who MI choose for the role if it comes to that.
