Hardik Pandya underwent separate training in Mumbai, while the majority of the Mumbai Indians squad headed to Dharamsala for their IPL 2026 meeting with Punjab Kings. Late on Tuesday night, the MI captain used Instagram story clips to share his work in the nets, taking part in batting sessions against throwdown specialists and net bowlers.
Pandya has been absent from Mumbai’s most recent two matches due to a back spasm. He also did not make the trip with the rest of the group earlier in the week, which has sparked uncertainty over whether he will be fit in time for the Punjab fixture. The MI camp reached Dharamsala on Monday afternoon, yet the captain was missing from the travelling party. It is still not clear if he will arrive later with the squad before the next game.
Hardik had previously been late to the venue in Raipur for Mumbai’s IPL 2026 game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but he did not take the field in that match. Ahead of the RCB contest, MI had said, “Hardik has not been cleared by the medical team to take the field.”
Reports indicate that Hardik’s injury is being monitored and assessed by the support staff in Mumbai. At the same time, the all-rounder has faced mounting scrutiny during a tough IPL season for Mumbai Indians, who became one of the early franchises to be knocked out of playoff contention.
His own numbers have also added to the pressure. So far, Hardik has scored 146 runs, while with the ball he has managed only four wickets across the season.
Suryakumar Yadav was also not part of the Dharamsala-bound group, though his absence is said to be for personal reasons following his recent fatherhood. With Hardik unavailable, the India T20I captain has already stepped in to lead the side, and he is expected to join the team in Dharamsala at a later point.
MI not good enough in IPL 2026
Mahela Jayawardene, the senior MI figure, was blunt after Mumbai Indians suffered a narrow two-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a result that ended their IPL 2026 playoff hopes. He suggested that the team simply was not at the required level this season, stating that they were “not good enough” for much of the campaign.
The loss sealed MI’s elimination and brought a disappointing end to the tournament for the five-time champions. Jayawardene highlighted that the franchise missed chances at key moments throughout the season, struggling to maintain consistency even when they produced flashes of strong play.
The setback against RCB ultimately proved decisive, officially knocking Mumbai out of the race. It was a year in which MI could not string together enough results to match the expectations surrounding the franchise.
“Yeah, I mean, the season, it’s disappointing,” Jayawardene said after the match. “We’ve had our opportunities. We were not good enough. We were not consistent enough with the ball, with the bat, and that showed the margins,” he added.
