Hardik Pandya [Source: AP]Ahead of the mega clash between the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 10, the MI camp has sent a major update on the participation of skipper Hardik Pandya and stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav. Ahead of the crucial IPL game at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav’s participation were still under the scanner before the Mumbai Indians officially shared the update on the star players. Pandya Ruled Out Due To Back Spasm For the unaware, Hardik Pandya missed the previous MI vs LSG clash due to a back spasm, where Suryakumar Yadav stepped in as the stand-in skipper. As things stand now, it is likely that Suryakumar will again lead MI against RCB on May 10. The evening match between the two IPL giants will be a clash of pride and a battle to stay alive in the playoff race. While the Mumbai Indians are virtually out of playoff contention, the RCB are still going strong, but they will have to maintain their winning streak if they want to gain an edge over the other teams and strengthen their qualification chances. Also Read- "Honey Traps Might Be Real": Fans Shocked As Jofra Archer Bowls Longest Over In IPLAhead of the battle, the Mumbai Indians announced that Pandya will miss the upcoming MI vs RCB game as he is still under medical observation due to the back spasm he suffered. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead the side for the clash. "Hardik continues to be evaluated by the medical team and then they will inform us on his progress. The second one is Surya's coming in tomorrow (vs RCB)," Mumbai Indians announced during the pre-match press conference. Hardik Pandya’s Worst Captaincy Record For MI For the unaware, Pandya has been a letdown for the Mumbai Indians since taking over the team's mantle in IPL 2024. Under Pandya's leadership, Mumbai have lost seven of the nine games they have played and managed to win only against the Gujarat Titans and the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026. With both bat and ball, Pandya has not been very impressive either. From the eight matches he has played, he has managed 146 runs at an average of 20.86, while with the ball, Pandya has picked up only four wickets from eight matches while maintaining an expensive economy rate of 11.90 at a strike rate of 31.00. Deliberately Dropped Or Serious Injury? Under Pandya, Mumbai have won 15 of the 37 matches they have played while losing 22 games, leading to a win-to-loss ratio of 0.681. This became fodder for the internet, while Hardik Pandya's back spasm injury also became a talking point as many online users speculated that MI had deliberately dropped him because of his poor performances, both as a captain and as a player. Whether he returns to full fitness soon or not remains a concern for the Mumbai Indians. However, for the time being, under Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy, MI have returned to winning ways and would like to continue that streak by defeating Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their supposed home game in Raipur.Also Read- BCCI Catches IPL Star Hosting Late Night Visitors In Hotel Room, Takes Strict Action
