Mumbai Indians Break Silence On Hardik Pandya's IPL Absence Amid Rift Rumours

Hardik Pandya [Source: AP Photos]Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya missed the IPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday in Raipur. Notably, the franchise medical team did not give him clearance to play, and as a result, he stayed out of the important clash. After the match, Mumbai Indians shared an official update about the all-rounder’s condition.The five-time IPL champions faced another disappointing result as they lost to RCB by two wickets. With this defeat, Mumbai Indians were officially knocked out of the IPL 2026 playoff race. Notably, the team became the second side after Lucknow Super Giants to be eliminated from the tournament.Mumbai Indians Knocked Out Of IPL 2026It is important to note that this season has been difficult for Mumbai Indians. The team entered IPL 2026 as one of the favourites to win the title. Even so, they struggled throughout the tournament and lost eight out of their 11 matches. As a result, their campaign failed to meet expectations.For the second match in a row, MI played without their regular captain. In Hardik Pandya’s absence, Suryakumar Yadav led the side. Earlier in the season, Hardik also missed the match against Delhi Capitals in Delhi due to illness. During that game, Suryakumar scored a half-century while leading the team. Even then, Delhi Capitals successfully chased the target and secured the win.Also Read: Mumbai Indians Issue Official Statement On IPL Elimination After Defeat Vs RCBThe clash against RCB marked the third game Hardik missed in IPL 2026. After the latest defeat, Mumbai Indians’ hopes of reaching the playoffs officially came to an end.Mumbai Indians coach Gives Update On Hardik PandyaFollowing the match, MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene spoke about Hardik Pandya’s fitness situation. He explained that the player has been dealing with a back issue for the last few days. Due to the discomfort, Hardik could not attend training sessions regularly. Therefore, the management decided not to take any risk with his fitness.Jayawardene said, "Yeah. Hardik had a back issue which we were trying to rectify, but it hasn't settled in yet. So the medical guys were working on him. He couldn't train the last few days, so we didn't want to take a risk without knowing exactly. So we'll see. It's on a day-to-day basis. See how he feels. And then we'll make a decision on that."Hardik Pandya Unfollowed MI On Social MediaMeanwhile, fans on social media noticed another development involving Hardik Pandya and Mumbai Indians. Reports claimed that Hardik had unfollowed the franchise on social media for a short period and later followed them again. Following this incident, many fans started speculating about a possible disagreement between the player and the franchise. Even so, there has been no official confirmation regarding any issue between the two sides.Hardik Pandya has also struggled with form during IPL 2026. In 11 matches this season, he scored only 146 runs and picked up four wickets. Therefore, his overall performance has not made a major impact for the team.Mumbai Indians will now focus on finishing the season positively. The team still has matches left against Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rajasthan Royals.Also Read: Tim David's Obscene Gesture Caught Live On Air; Will BCCI Punish RCB Star?