Hardik Pandya’s Instagram profile has been removed. The Mumbai Indians skipper, who has been regularly active on social media, opened his account on Wednesday evening only to see the familiar notification: “Sorry, this page isn’t available. The link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed. Go back to Instagram.” With millions of followers behind him, the deletion has quickly become a talking point among IPL fans.
MI’s IPL 2026 exit adds to the backdrop
The social media change comes after Mumbai Indians’ rough run in IPL 2026. The franchise, a five-time champion, managed only four wins from 14 league matches and ended the campaign in ninth place in the points table. That finish left them only ahead of Lucknow Super Giants in the standings, underlining how difficult the season proved for the squad.
Hardik’s output under scrutiny
Beyond the team results, Pandya’s personal numbers also drew attention during the tournament. In eight innings, he scored 146 runs and picked up just three wickets, a return that did not match expectations for the MI captain.
- Runs scored: 146 across 8 innings
- Wickets taken: 3
Wasim Jaffer weighs in on the captaincy question
Former India batter Wasim Jaffer offered a clear distinction between leadership and role clarity when discussing what MI should do next. Jaffer said he would not want Hardik to remain captain for the coming year, but argued that the franchise should keep him in the side so he can focus primarily on his own game.
- Jaffer said he would not make Hardik the captain again
- However, he insisted Hardik should be retained so he can “open up” and perform best as a player
On his YouTube channel, Jaffer also addressed the bigger selection dilemma around leadership. When asked to suggest a replacement captain, he responded that, at this stage, it would be difficult to choose someone to take over the responsibility.
Final league game: MI’s 30-run loss
Mumbai Indians’ ninth-place finish was confirmed after they suffered a 30-run defeat in their last league match against Rajasthan Royals. The loss marked their 10th defeat of the season in 14 games, sealing a disappointing end to their campaign.
