Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has delivered a sharp assessment of Hardik Pandya’s captaincy after Mumbai Indians fell to Punjab Kings in an IPL 2026 encounter on Friday. Although Quinton de Kock struck a superb century for MI, a lacklustre bowling display allowed Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer to steer PBKS to the win. The result extended Mumbai’s slide to a fourth defeat in five matches, leaving them placed ninth in the points table. Pathan also criticised Hardik’s recent form, highlighting his low impact with bat and his struggles under pressure.
Pathan’s verdict on Hardik’s captaincy and form
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan said Hardik’s current run of performances has raised concerns, and insisted the MI leader must handle match situations more effectively. He pointed to Hardik’s batting output since 2024 and also argued that improvements are needed in the bowling phase, particularly during the powerplay.
- Pathan said it is “about managing things” better, adding that Hardik’s batting average since 2024 has been in the early 20s.
- He argued that expectations must be higher, and urged Hardik to do better in the powerplay when bowling too.
- Pathan noted that the match became easier for PBKS at key moments when Allah Ghazanfar took wickets, implying Hardik’s side failed to control pressure periods.
- He also said Hardik appears “very worried” when the game tightens, according to his assessment.
Concerns over MI’s bowling unit
Pathan further targeted Mumbai’s bowling group, suggesting they need to include a “proper wicket-taker” rather than relying on bowlers who are struggling to make breakthroughs. He singled out Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar for failing to contain runs and emphasised that Jasprit Bumrah has yet to register a wicket in the competition this year.
- Pathan said Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya are all-rounders, but Deepak Chahar is not taking wickets.
- He argued that with only two bowlers effectively available, the side faces difficulty in taking wickets consistently.
- He stressed that Mumbai must improve their bowling unit and ensure they play a bowler who can consistently take wickets.
- While Shardul and Deepak have “struggled massively” to keep runs down, Pathan pointed out that Jasprit Bumrah has not taken a single wicket in IPL 2026 so far.
Hardik’s response after MI’s fourth straight defeat
Hardik Pandya did not soften his stance after Mumbai Indians crashed to their fourth consecutive loss in IPL 2026. He warned about the danger of taking “difficult calls” in the wrong way, and called on his teammates to take responsibility—“ownership”—for the team’s poor displays.
In their latest setback, the five-time champions lost to Punjab Kings by seven wickets and slipped to ninth place with only two points.
After the defeat, Hardik said: “To be very honest, I don’t have much to say right now. I think we really need to go back on the drawing board and see where are we lacking. Is it individuals? Is it as a group? Is it planning? We’ll just figure it out and see what we can do next.”
