Mumbai Indians are set to name a new face in the leadership group for IPL 2026, with a third captain expected to steer the franchise during their clash against Punjab Kings at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Thursday. Regular skipper Hardik Pandya is sidelined due to injury, while the stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav has not made the trip to Dharamsala for the match, leaving the team to reshuffle its options for the game.
With the usual captain absent, Mumbai had a few pathways to choose from. One of the names that came up was Tilak Varma, who was appointed India A captain on Thursday ahead of an upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka. The franchise also had experienced leadership in its ranks, with former India captain Rohit Sharma having previously guided Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles between 2013 and 2023.
In the final call for Thursday’s encounter, Jasprit Bumrah is expected to take charge of Mumbai Indians when they face Punjab Kings. Alongside the captaincy, Rohit Sharma is also likely to continue in the role of impact player during the match setup.
The 33-year-old fast bowler has captained India before, and he was among the candidates discussed for India’s Test leadership as well, before it was reported that he decided not to take on the role on a full-time basis. Bumrah’s stature within the Mumbai setup is also clear: he is among the most seasoned campaigners in the squad, having appeared in 156 matches across 13 IPL seasons.
Despite his long association with the franchise through those 156 IPL appearances, Bumrah has never previously captained Mumbai Indians in the tournament. However, he has led India in two Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests in Australia during the 2024-25 stretch, and he also captained the side in the Test against England at Birmingham in 2022.
When Bumrah walks out for the toss, it will mark a milestone moment for Mumbai Indians as he becomes the 10th player in the franchise’s IPL history to captain the team.
List of All Mumbai Indians Captains:
- Sachin Tendulkar (2008–2011)
- Harbhajan Singh (2008, 2012)
- Shaun Pollock (2008)
- DJ Bravo (2010–2010)
- Ricky Ponting (2013)
- Rohit Sharma (2013–2023)
- Kieron Pollard (2014, 2019–2021)
- Suryakumar Yadav (2023–2026)
- Hardik Pandya (2024–2026)
Rohit Sharma remains Mumbai’s longest-serving captain, having led the franchise in 163 matches from 2013 to 2023. Tendulkar is placed second, with the batting great captaining the side in 55 matches between 2008 and 2011.
On the points table, Mumbai Indians have already taken a hit in their season campaign, becoming the second team to be eliminated from the playoff chase. Their loss to defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 10 sealed their exit. With just three wins and eight defeats so far, Mumbai sit ninth in the standings.
Punjab Kings, meanwhile, will be looking to make the most of Mumbai’s situation. The side is aiming to regain momentum after losing four matches in a row, a run that saw them slip from first place to fourth in the table during that stretch.
