Hardik Pandya missed Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 match against Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday. Suryakumar Yadav stepped in at the toss, stating that the captain was unwell, before Mumbai later confirmed the issue was linked to back spasms.
Under scrutiny for his batting output this season, Suryakumar was seen speaking with LSG skipper Rishabh Pant during the toss proceedings. He made it clear he was deputising for Hardik, saying he was “just going into his shoes” for the night.
At a glance
- Hardik Pandya missed MI vs LSG (IPL 2026) at Wankhede Stadium on Monday due to back spasms.
- Suryakumar Yadav captained MI for the toss and said he was filling in for Hardik.
- MI are ninth in the points table with four points; LSG are bottom with four points.
- Hardik’s season: 146 runs in eight innings, average 20.85, strike rate 136.44.
- With Hardik absent, MI won the toss and chose to bowl first.
- MI changes: Corbin Bosch came in for Trent Boult; Rohit Sharma returned and made it to the Impact Bench.
- LSG changes: Josh Inglis handed a debut; Mukul Choudhary replaced by Akshat Raghuwanshi.
Mumbai’s start to the campaign has been sluggish, leaving the franchise in ninth place on the points table. They sit on four points—matching LSG’s tally—while Lucknow are at the bottom of the standings.
Hardik’s all-round contributions have also dipped this season. He has managed 146 runs across eight innings, posting an average of 20.85 while striking at 136.44.
Toss and team selections
With Hardik out of the playing group, Mumbai Indians won the toss and opted to bowl first against Lucknow Super Giants. The decision set the tone for a reshaped XI on the night, with MI adjusting their bowling and batting combinations to cover for the captain’s absence.
For Mumbai, Corbin Bosch came into the squad in place of Trent Boult. Rohit Sharma, returning after an injury layoff, was included among the Impact Player options and named on the Impact Bench.
Lucknow Super Giants likewise made alterations to their Playing XI. Josh Inglis received a debut, while Mukul Choudhary made way for Akshat Raghuwanshi.
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Ryan Rickelton (w), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Will Jacks, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Raghu Sharma.
Impact Player options for MI: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Robin Minz, Shardul Thakur, Trent Boult.
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Himmat Singh, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav.
Impact Player options for LSG: Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Mayank Yadav, Shahbaz Ahamad, Abdul Samad.
