In the IPL, when results don’t come, the captain is often the first person to face the heat. That has been the case for Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya through much of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. After MI suffered their seventh defeat of the campaign, going down to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday, criticism intensified around Hardik’s leadership, forcing him to deal with renewed scrutiny at a difficult moment for the franchise.
Manoj Tiwary questions the blame narrative
Former India batter Manoj Tiwary argued that it is not entirely fair to pin MI’s poor run primarily on the captain. Tiwary suggested that Hardik’s situation has been made worse by the lack of sufficient backing from the rest of the squad, implying the team has not rallied around him when pressure builds.
- Tiwary said it feels like “no one is standing with Hardik,” adding that the support Hardik needs has not been there.
- He maintained that while the captain has a major role, the responsibility for outcomes must be shared across the playing group.
- Tiwary pointed to concerns about inconsistency within the squad, citing Surya’s failure to show steady performance day after day.
- He also noted that Tilak has not sustained his form after one good match, which he said contributes to MI’s inability to deliver results.
Speaking in detail, Tiwary emphasised that a captain should win the confidence of every player and act as a true leader. He also expressed sympathy for Hardik, saying the MI skipper has effectively been standing alone while others have not shared the burden of taking the criticism for the team’s failures.
MI’s decorated history, but a season slipping away
Tiwary’s comments came alongside a broader reflection on MI’s status and expectations. Mumbai Indians remain one of the most decorated franchises on paper, with international captains such as Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya in the roster. The discussion also highlighted that Jasprit Bumrah has captained India in Test cricket.
Despite that pedigree, the team’s performances have appeared unsettled. Tiwary and others noted that MI have struggled in terms of strategy, particularly when the match situation turns adverse and the side cannot come up with effective alternative plans.
Murali Kartik: qualification odds are nearly gone
Former India spinner Murali Kartik, also part of the discussion, was asked about what remains for MI in IPL 2026. Kartik’s assessment was blunt: he suggested Mumbai’s season is essentially over, leaving only a remote possibility of a turnaround.
He explained the points math and the table situation, stressing that even winning all remaining games would not realistically guarantee qualification due to how far ahead other teams already are.
- Kartik said MI have five matches left, but argued that even if they win all five, the maximum they can reach is 14 points.
- He said that, as things stand, teams such as PBKS, RCB, SRH, and RR are clustered around roughly 12 or 13 points.
- Kartik added that if those teams manage to win just two or three more games, they would still stay ahead of Mumbai.
- He pointed out that the top four sides still have games in hand: PBKS has six matches left, RCB and SRH have five each, and Rajasthan has four.
- He concluded that a huge shift would be required for MI to qualify, and even then the probability is minimal.
Kartik also referenced the broader race at the bottom of the table, saying that even GT are struggling to climb up from the bottom. He ultimately framed MI’s campaign as being close to finished, stating it is 99.999% over.
