At the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday evening, Ravi Shastri opened the post-match conversation with a blunt, consoling line for Hardik Pandya: “Not your day.” Hardik, though, didn’t try to soften the message, acknowledging the bigger picture of Mumbai Indians’ struggle by saying, “Not the season, I feel.” In many ways, that exchange captures where MI stand in IPL 2026 right now—struggling at the foot of the standings with only two victories from nine matches, following their seventh loss of the campaign on Saturday against Chennai Super Kings.
The evening in Chennai didn’t get off to a smooth start for Mumbai in the Classico. They lost Will Jacks as early as the second over, a blow that could have tilted the innings. Yet Naman Dhir and Ryan Rickelton steadied the situation, putting together a brisk fifty-run partnership for the second wicket to give Mumbai a platform in the powerplay. By the time the 10-over mark arrived, the visitors were placed at 90/2.
After that, the innings lost its momentum. Suryakumar Yadav again failed to find rhythm, Tilak Varma struggled to get going at the pace the chase required, and even Hardik looked uncomfortable as the Chennai attack executed its plans with precision on the two-paced surface at Chepauk. Mumbai were only able to add 69 runs in the final 10 overs after reaching 90/2, ultimately paying for the lack of acceleration late in the innings. The end result left them with a target that wasn’t enormous, but the pitch still offered enough challenge to keep things interesting.
In reply, Chennai’s chase was built around the steadiness of Ruturaj Gaikwad, who settled into his preferred anchoring role after an early wobble. Urvil Patel then provided the necessary burst, finishing the job with timely aggression. With both Gaikwad and Patel remaining unbeaten on the way to the target, Chennai completed the chase in 18.1 overs, sealing their second win over Mumbai in the season.
Are MI’s playoff hopes effectively finished?
The answer is a complicated one — yes and no. With five matches still left, Mumbai can theoretically climb to 14 points if they win all their remaining games. However, that doesn’t automatically secure a spot in the playoffs, because qualification would still hinge on how other teams perform in their respective fixtures. So, mathematically, MI are still in the running.
Realistically, though, the outlook appears bleak. Their next assignment is against Lucknow Super Giants, and while MI may feel more confident playing at Wankhede despite their current difficulties, the fixtures that follow could determine whether their season stays alive. On May 10, they face defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and then on May 14 they play table-toppers Punjab Kings—two teams that have already shown their strength this season and have beaten Mumbai earlier.
If MI don’t fix their problems quickly, one of those matches, or potentially both, could end their qualification chances. The pressure only rises further because their final league game is against an in-form Rajasthan Royals on May 24, adding another tough hurdle to an already demanding closing stretch.
