Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya took aim at his bowling group after the team suffered a 27-run loss to Rajasthan Royals in a rain-affected IPL 2026 contest at the ACA Stadium that was reduced to 11 overs per side. Mumbai opted to field first, but struggled to create early pressure as Rajasthan’s batters seized control from the start.
Rajasthan’s opening partnership, led by Yashasvi Jaiswal and teenage standout Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, turned the Power-play into a launchpad. The pair racked up 56 runs in just 3.2 overs, overwhelming Mumbai’s plans and setting a platform for a long chase to look increasingly difficult. Jaiswal finished unbeaten on 77 from 32 deliveries, while Sooryavanshi struck quickly to score 39 off 14 balls, steering Rajasthan to 150/3 in their 11-over innings.
When Mumbai went after 151, the chase unravelled under the weight of early setbacks. The innings slipped to 46/5 in the opening phase, and despite attempts to regroup, they never regained momentum. Mumbai were eventually dismissed for 123/9, falling short by 27 runs.
Hardik Pandya blames the bowling unit
Speaking after the match, Pandya acknowledged that his bowlers did not carry out the required execution. He pointed out that too many boundaries were conceded in the initial overs, which allowed Rajasthan to settle and dictate the rhythm of the game.
"We did not execute the deliveries we were supposed to. They played well. Bowlers need to take responsibility. As a bowling group, we were not up to the mark. They also played tremendously," Pandya said during the post-match presentation.
Pandya also clarified that the batting group was not the primary issue. He suggested that the responsibility lay with bowling and delivering the right lengths at the right moments, arguing that if Mumbai had managed that better, they would have stayed in contention.
"I would not put the blame on batting. Definitely the bowling unit, which had to take responsibility. It is always about bowling those good balls. If we had executed, we would have been in the game. Their openers threw us off our game, and we were playing catch-up," he added.
When asked about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Pandya highlighted the impact of having such a fearless approach from a young batter. He praised the teenager’s temperament and expressed optimism about his future development.
"Quite fascinating to see a 17- or 16-year-old boy (15-year-old) play that way. Amazing to see the way he bats, the fearlessness he has. Wish him good luck for the future," Pandya said.
Despite the defeat, Pandya said the squad would not dwell on the result and would instead focus on correcting mistakes for the next outing.
"Just learn from the mistakes. Morning will come tomorrow, the sun will rise, prepare well for the next game," he concluded.
Mumbai Indians next fixture
Mumbai Indians will now turn their attention to their next match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Wankhede Stadium. Although Mumbai have traditionally performed strongly at the venue, winning eight times against Bengaluru, the visitors arrive with momentum as defending champions and with four wins from their most recent six meetings against MI.
