Mumbai Indians have long been viewed as one of the IPL’s most decorated franchises, having won five titles and sharing the record for most championships with arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings. Yet despite their history of resilience and their knack for pulling off memorable recoveries in tight moments, the side has found it hard to build momentum this season under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy.
Pandya took over the leadership role from Mumbai’s long-time icon Rohit Sharma ahead of the 2024 campaign. The switch came after Pandya’s successful, title-winning spell with Gujarat Titans in 2022. Mumbai secured him from GT in an all-cash transaction worth INR 15 crore, hoping the move would revive their fortunes. But so far, the decision to bring back their former star all-rounder—who had previously featured for the franchise from 2015 to 2021 and returned as captain—has not delivered the expected impact.
In his first year at the helm, Mumbai Indians finished at the bottom of the points table, managing only four victories. There was renewed optimism for supporters in 2025 when the team returned to the qualification places, only to fall short in the race to the next stage against the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings.
Concerns mount around Pandya’s impact
Former India batter Subramaniam Badrinath has publicly questioned Pandya’s role in the franchise, arguing that both his performances as a player and his leadership as captain have been below the standard expected from a team of Mumbai’s stature. His comments came after a disappointing start to the 2026 campaign.
Badrinath said the management would not be pleased with the current scenario and suggested that the possibility of a leadership adjustment may already be in the minds of those running the team. He also pointed to the way Pandya’s batting struggles are beginning to affect his captaincy decision-making.
- Badrinath said Pandya’s poor batting form is bleeding into his leadership, with confidence at the crease appearing to influence the captain’s on-field calls.
- He added that the management would “definitely not be happy” and that sudden changes during the season could be possible.
- He specifically suggested that any captaincy shake-up might already have crossed the minds of the franchise leadership.
Badrinath’s criticism carries added weight because Pandya’s numbers since taking the captaincy have been under pressure. Apart from his responsibilities as skipper, he has produced just 97 runs across six innings. He has also failed to close out chases on three separate occasions—an area where a captain is often expected to set the tone during the most demanding phases of matches.
With a reputation for delivering in crunch moments, Pandya’s recent struggles have raised questions about whether the weight of captaincy is affecting his batting output. In addition, his influence with the ball has not looked like the impact Mumbai would normally hope for from their captain.
Bowling has been another concern. Pandya has managed only three wickets so far, with an average around 63 and an economy rate nearing 13, figures that underline how difficult it has been for him to lead the bowling attack effectively.
While Mumbai’s squad includes several experienced options and many players are in their prime years—along with the presence of 39-year-old Rohit Sharma—Badrinath believes the franchise has still not found its rhythm. He noted that Mumbai are currently positioned in the bottom half of the table, sitting ninth after seven matches.
In Badrinath’s view, the reasons for the team’s struggles trace back to multiple issues: Pandya’s on-field decision-making, the failure to get the best out of world-class pacers such as Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult, and ultimately, his own limitations in the current phase of the tournament.
“They had so many match-winners, which makes their position on the table stunning. And all of them are at the peak of their careers, except maybe Rohit Sharma. That’s why Hardik’s captaincy needs to be questioned. His bowling changes, field positions, and personal form being poor are major factors,” Badrinath concluded.
