Hardik Pandya’s workload as captain is growing heavier by the week as Mumbai Indians’ IPL campaign continues to slip. After seven matches, the five-time champions have managed only two wins, a start that has quickly turned into a survival fight in the playoff race. The squad was widely viewed as a title contender at the outset, loaded with experienced match-winners and India’s T20 World Cup-winning core, including Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Tilak Varma and Pandya himself. Yet as the season has progressed, inconsistency and missed opportunities at crucial moments have left MI searching for answers at a stage where points are at a premium.
Those concerns intensified immediately in Mumbai’s encounter with Chennai Super Kings, where they suffered a 103-run defeat—described as their most lopsided loss in IPL history. The result didn’t just dent their standings; it also put Pandya’s leadership under the microscope. Since that loss, scrutiny has sharpened around his on-field decisions, with former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan highlighting specific tactical shortcomings from the Chennai game.
Pathan’s criticism was especially focused on how bowling responsibilities were assigned during critical phases. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he suggested Pandya’s call to bring Krish Bhagat into the attack at a high-pressure moment was a misstep, and that the captain’s handling of the final over compounded the issue.
“You (Hardik Pandya) make Krish Bhagat, who is playing his second match, bowl his first over in the 15th or 16th over against a set Sanju Samson. It was a wrong decision. You gave the last over to him, which was again not the right decision. You need to take responsibility and do better as a captain,” Pathan said.
Pathan also extended his critique to MI’s planning around the Wankhede contest—both in the build-up at the toss and in-game strategy once the match began. He pointed to the recent trend of teams defending successfully at the venue when batting first, while questioning why MI chose a different route after winning the toss.
“The team batting first has won four out of the last six T20 matches at Wankhede, but you wanted to chase here after winning the toss. It is a difficult task to win the toss and say we would bat first, but you will have to show that courage,” he added.
Off the field and in leadership discussions, MI are not the only ones under strain—Pandya’s personal form has also become a talking point. In IPL 2026, he has produced just 97 runs across six innings, averaging 19.40 with a strike rate of 140.58. That output has not only reduced his impact as a batter, but has also raised doubts about his ability to deliver decisive blows when the game demands it.
Batting form and tactical adjustments under pressure
- Hardik’s struggles were again highlighted by his dismissal against CSK, where he fell after attempting a high-risk shot during pressure moments.
- Pathan linked the wicket to a broader theme—MI’s captain searching for form while also failing to make the technical adjustments needed for testing conditions.
- Pathan stressed that Hardik has not registered a half-century since 2023, suggesting that he needs to alter his approach when the pitch offers something to the bowlers.
- He advised that Pandya should move his feet more decisively whenever there is assistance for the bowling unit, arguing that timing and balance are being compromised when conditions tighten.
- Pathan also noted a change in Hardik’s stance, saying it has widened compared to earlier, which he believes affects how the batter handles different types of pitches.
- He concluded that Hardik tends to perform better on surfaces with pace, but will need to work on his technique when there is grip or when the ball takes on extra movement.
“He hit a big shot straightaway. Yes, MI were under pressure at the time, but you were also searching for form. Hardik has not scored a half-century since 2023. He will need to move his feet when there is some help for the bowlers on the pitch. His stance was also different earlier. Now it has become wider, which gives him a good balance, and he plays really well on pitches that have pace. When there is a slight grip or help, he will have to work on that,” Pathan said in his analysis.
