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Rohit Sharma Hardik Pandya Nita Ambani for Mumbai Indians. Image Credits: AFP
Hardik Pandya is seemingly done with Mumbai Indians (MI) after a disastrous IPL 2026 tournament. The Mumbai Indians, under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy, failed to reach the playoffs of the IPL 2026 tournament, finishing in ninth spot in the points table with only 4 wins in 14 games.
This was the second season under Hardik Pandya, where the Mumbai Indians have failed to reach the playoffs of the Indian Premier League. Hardik had taken over as MI captain after being traded from Gujarat Titans, but the franchise finished in the tenth spot.
Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as Mumbai Indians captain
Hardik Pandya had left the Mumbai Indians franchise after IPL 2021 and was made the Gujarat Titans captain. He led the GT team to the IPL 2022 title in their debut year, and then in IPL 2023, GT reached the finals of the tournament under Hardik’s leadership.
Therefore, it was a huge surprise when GT got ready to trade Hardik to Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024. However, the MI fans were not happy with MI management, who unceremoniously relieved Rohit Sharma from captaincy, despite him winning the IPL five times. Hardik Pandya’s conduct with Rohit and other senior players didn’t exactly make him a fan favorite.
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MI did recover in IPL 2025, reaching the playoffs, and it seemed like the fans and experts had accepted Hardik as the new MI leader. But the recent IPL 2026 debacle has shattered that belief.
Report states Hardik Pandya had told MI mid-IPL 2026 that he was done with them
PTI journalist Kushan Sarkar stated on X that Hardik was the one who desired to leave the club. Sarkar's social media post claims that Pandya told management he will not be joining the Mumbai Indians for the upcoming season as soon as the team was eliminated from the IPL 2026 title competition.
Claims are different, but one thing is in common: Hardik Pandya is set to leave the Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2027.
Last three years haven’t been kind to Hardik
Furthermore, an IPL source has confirmed to PTI what Kushan Sarkar shared on social media. Hardik Pandya has informed the Mumbai Indians that he’ll be leaving after they were eliminated from the IPL 2026.
The report also added that Hardik is "mentally stressed and completely exhausted" after the disastrous IPL 2026 season.
"Hardik was mentally stressed and completely exhausted. He had also sustained a back injury. In fact, once the play-off hopes were dashed, Hardik informed the decision-makers that he wouldn't be staying back. Please understand that Hardik is only 32. He returned to MI in 2024 when he was 30. He was booed in the first year, and this season too things didn't go according to plan.
There is only so much that a young man can take. The last three years haven't been easy for him. The MI dressing room that he had left in 2021 wasn't the same when he returned in 2024. Not every senior player was on the same page. If results come despite divergent views, you still won't feel frustrated.
But when everyone pulls in different directions, after a point you don't have the mental bandwidth to carry on. So, Hardik had decided mid-season that he wouldn't be part of MI next season," the source told PTI.
It seems like Hardik didn’t get the support he was looking for from his teammates. In addition to this, he scored only 206 runs and picked only four wickets in IPL 2026, giving his critics ammunition against him.
Who will captain Mumbai Indians after Hardik Pandya?
Before the IPL 2027 auction, the Mumbai Indians must start over, but there is still another IPL season to get through. It will be intriguing to observe if MI chooses a temporary fix or concentrates on the long term.
Rohit Sharma, their five-time IPL champion and still the greatest name in that dressing room, is the best captain for the near future. His pupil Tilak Varma, who is also being considered by the national selectors, might be named his deputy during the transition.
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