Taking over a star-studded team like the Mumbai Indians comes with a fair share of challenges. When Hardik Pandya took over the reins of the five-time IPL champions ahead of the IPL 2024 edition, he must have been fully aware of the task ahead. In the two seasons before that, Pandya led the Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in 2022 and then guided the team to a runner-up finish the following year. Hence, his credibility as a proven leader was never in doubt when he returned to his old team, MI, as skipper.
The first rude shock came in his first year, as MI finished last among 10 teams, with Pandya being constantly booed at his team’s home base at the Wankhede Stadium. Things improved in 2025 as MI finished better, but 2026 has presented the franchise with even more struggles. With only three wins in 10 games, MI are highly unlikely to enter the IPL playoffs.
However, according to a report in The Indian Express, quoting sources, “the franchise management continues to back Pandya and does not see the team’s struggles as a reflection of his leadership. Instead, they believe MI have been slow to adapt to the evolving style of play in the tournament.”
By “evolving style of play”, the report claimed, the management meant “explosive starts from their openers and bowlers who can make an impact in the powerplay as well as at the death.”
Meanwhile, former cricketer Simon Doull while anwering a question regarding, “which current retained players should MI release ahead of the next IPL mega auction”, gave an interesting suggestion.
“My point would be: who is your captain next year? If they are going to change something, who is going to be the captain next year? If it is not going to be Hardik Pandya, release him. Only because I don’t know how he will perform in an environment where he has underperformed, his team has underperformed for three years, and then his job goes,” Doull said.
When asked if Pandya can rediscover his form with the extra burden of captaincy, Doull said: “It might free him up, it might not. It might make him feel, ‘I have failed.’ It could go either way. When fully fit, Hardik has been one of the best all-rounders in the game. My only point is, if he is going to be the captain, is he willing to take the backseat, put in the hard yards, and just be Hardik-the great player-yet again?”
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