Revealed: Why Is Hardik Pandya Not Playing In MI vs LSG IPL 2026 Match?

Hardik Pandya MI vs LSG (AFP)The excitement is up a notch as the IPL 2026 reaches its business end. In match number 47, Mumbai Indians will take on Lucknow Super Giants at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday, May 4, 2026.The toss update is out, and so are the playing lists for both the teams for the MI vs LSG IPL 2026 match. However, what came as a shocker for the Mumbai Indians fans is the absence of their full-time captain Hardik Pandya. At the time of toss, MI’s usual vice-captain, Suryakumar Yadav, came in replacing Hardik Pandya as a stand-in skipper.Suryakumar Yadav on why Hardik Pandya is not playing todayWhen asked about Hardik Pandya’s ouster, stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that he is unwell. “Hardik is unwell so just getting into his shoes", said Suryakumar.Notably, Cricbuzz later reported that the franchise has confirmed Pandya has sit out today’s match due to a back spasm. Also read: Rohit Sharma's IPL Availability Now Out Of Mumbai Indians' ControlThis marks the second occasion when MI has entered the field without their trusted match-winner, Hardik. Before today, the all-rounder missed the match against Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 4, 2026, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium due to illness. Hardik was reported to have sat out to recover from a viral infection.MI have three changes, Trent Boult is ruled out, and Corbin Bosch returns to the MI lineup; however, the biggest change is that Rohit Sharma returns to the lineup after recovering from the hamstring injury.MI vs LSG Toss Update: Here is how the playing 11s look for both teamsMumbai Indians Playing XI: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Will Jacks, Raj Angad Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Raghu SharmaImpact subs: Rohit Sharma, Robin Minz, Shardul Thakur, Trent Boult, Mayank RawatLucknow Super Giants Playing XI: Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Akshat Raghuwanshi, Himmat Singh, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, Avesh KhanImpact subs: Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mayank Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Singh RathiWho is Raj Angad Bawa? Meet Hardik Pandya’s replacement in MI playing XI vs LSGIt is worth noting that a 23-year-old Raj Angad Bawa has replaced the Indian star all-rounder in MI’s playing XI against LSG. Thus, let’s take a look at who this youngster is. Born to a cricket coach father and an Olympic gold medallist hockey-playing grandfather, sports were never too far away for India’s 2022 U19 World Cup sensation, Raj Angad Bawa. Hailing from Chandigarh, Bawa is a very talented seam-bowling all-rounder known for his elegant left-handed batting and sharp right-arm medium-fast bowling. His rise to prominence came in the 2022 ICC U19 World Cup, where he smashed an unbeaten 162, which is the highest individual score by an Indian in the tournament and claimed a historic 5/31 in the final against England.His all-round performance in the U19 World Cup helped him secure an IPL contract when Punjab Kings secured him in the 2022 auction and later moved to the Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2025 Mega Auction for INR 30 Lakh. MI continued to place their faith in the left-hander, retaining him for IPL 2026.Follow MI vs LSG Live Updates For Each And Every Detail Of The High-Octane IPL 2026 Clash