It’s hard not to feel for Hardik Pandya right now. The Mumbai Indians, already under pressure in the IPL 2026 campaign, have not been getting the kind of impact they would have hoped from their star all-rounder. Things worsened on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium when Chennai Super Kings handed the hosts a 103-run defeat, pushing CSK up to fifth in the standings. Mumbai, meanwhile, sit eighth, and with only seven games left, their route to the playoffs now demands a near-perfect finish—at least six wins from their remaining matches.
Key takeaways
- CSK beat Mumbai Indians by 103 runs at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
- With the loss, Chennai moved to fifth place while Mumbai slid to eighth in the points table.
- Mumbai now need six victories from their remaining seven fixtures to keep their playoff hopes alive.
- Hardik Pandya conceded 38 runs in his two overs and scored only 1 run off two balls against CSK.
- Across six IPL 2026 matches, Hardik has 97 runs in total and taken three wickets at an economy rate of 12.67.
Hardik’s tough day on the field—and a softer moment off it
Hardik looked visibly down as Mumbai suffered yet another defeat. Still, the cameras caught a different side of him after the match—one that had nothing to do with cricket. In the aftermath, he was seen addressing the crowd, then quickly checking on his son, Agastya, and his girlfriend, Maheika Sharma. The all-rounder gestured toward Agastya, appearing to tell him to go to sleep, a routine that made sense given the game concluded after 11 PM IST.
That fatherly gesture began from the dressing room and then repeated during the post-match moments, including when players were shaking hands and when Hardik spoke to the broadcaster.
How Hardik’s IPL 2026 has unfolded so far
Against CSK, Hardik struggled to find rhythm. With the ball, he leaked 38 runs in the two overs he bowled. With the bat, he failed to stay at the crease, lasting only two deliveries before returning to the pavilion with a score of just one.
His season overall has been below par. In the six IPL 2026 matches he has played so far, Hardik has made 97 runs, with his best return coming against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where he scored 40. Bowling has been similarly tough—he has claimed only three wickets and has conceded runs at 12.67 per over.
Adding to the uneven run, Hardik missed the match versus the Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium because of illness. During his absence, Suryakumar Yadav led the Mumbai Indians.
Mahela Jayawardene backs Hardik—and points to a broader team issue
After the heavy loss to CSK, Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene stepped in to defend Hardik’s position. He suggested that the problem was not limited to one player, stating that Hardik’s earlier ball work had been good and that the larger challenge had been Mumbai’s lack of consistency as a unit—particularly the inability to take wickets early and to control proceedings in line with match conditions.
Jayawardene also noted that batting has produced some good phases, but the team has not sustained those spells consistently. In his view, improvement needs to come collectively rather than being attributed to Hardik alone.
What’s next for Mumbai Indians
Mumbai now get a seven-day break before their next assignment. Their next match is against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday, April 29. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma—who has missed three games for the franchise—is expected to be available for the clash with SRH.
