Hardik Pandya’s second stint with the Mumbai Indians has not matched the expectations that came with his return, and indications are growing that the franchise and its former captain may part ways after the latest IPL campaign. A report citing internal developments suggests the 32-year-old has already communicated to the team’s leadership that he is looking to move on, leaving little room to believe he will wear the blue jersey in the next season.
Hardik’s MI return and the downward turn
- Hardik rejoined Mumbai Indians in 2024, taking over the captaincy role after Rohit Sharma.
- His appointment triggered immediate backlash from sections of the fanbase, with boos directed at him during that first season.
- That year, Mumbai Indians ended at the bottom of the points table, finishing last.
- The following season brought a change in fortunes for the five-time champions, as they found their rhythm and progressed to Qualifier 2.
- However, the momentum did not last. In the IPL 2026 edition, Mumbai Indians again struggled to deliver as a cohesive unit.
- In IPL 2026, the franchise finished ninth in the standings, winning only four of their 14 matches.
Injuries and inconsistent impact added to Hardik’s problems. He missed several matches due to a back spasm, and his overall output with both bat and ball failed to lift the side in the way expected from a player of his calibre. With Hardik having been appointed captain in 2024 and now facing a third year of underwhelming returns, the franchise’s inability to click once more appears to have pushed tensions to the breaking point.
The situation intensified once Mumbai Indians’ playoff chances were officially over. With the campaign effectively slipping away, Hardik reportedly conveyed to the management that he would not remain with the team beyond the season’s conclusion. The report also described him as mentally drained and physically affected by his back injury, suggesting that the combination of strain and disappointment played a major role in his mid-tournament decision.
Stand-in leadership and fractures in the dressing room
When Hardik sat out IPL 2026 games because of the back spasm, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah took over the captaincy duties in his absence. The report further claimed that the internal environment within the dressing room was not aligned, with senior players allegedly not operating with the same approach and expectations as the captain.
It was also stated that even though results might sometimes come despite differing opinions, the daily reality of pulling in separate directions can eventually drain a player’s mental capacity. In that context, Hardik is said to have decided during the middle portion of the season that he would not be part of Mumbai Indians’ plans for the next year.
According to the report, the relationship between Hardik and the senior group was strained by a specific demand made during India duty: senior players had expected 100 per cent commitment from him when he was playing for the national team, but the same level of support was allegedly not shown during his captaincy tenure at MI.
Hardik’s statistical contribution in IPL 2026 also came under scrutiny, with the report noting that he took four wickets during the tournament. With the franchise formally out of the playoff race and internal issues surfacing, his message to the leadership appears to have been clear—he is done with Mumbai Indians, and further clarity on his next move is expected to emerge closer to August.
