Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has called for a major shake-up in Mumbai Indians’ leadership setup, urging the franchise to step away from Hardik Pandya’s captaincy and hand the reins to Jasprit Bumrah. Manjrekar’s comments come after MI were knocked out of the IPL 2026 playoff hunt following a defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru that was decided on the final ball. The five-time champions have managed only three wins so far in the ongoing season, and Pandya’s stint as skipper has faced sharp criticism from both supporters and cricket observers.
Speaking on Sportstar, Manjrekar argued that MI should rethink their approach to captaincy and give Bumrah an opportunity to lead. He said he would like to see Bumrah captain the national side, adding that the pacer’s understanding of the game goes well beyond execution with the ball. Manjrekar also felt Bumrah’s mindset and cricketing intelligence—such as how he reads batters, assesses situations, and understands pitch conditions—could translate into effective leadership. He noted that Bumrah did not get the captain’s role when Shubman Gill was appointed and suggested that, at least in the Indian Premier League, he should finally receive a chance.
Manjrekar further suggested that MI may have made a different choice when they completed a blockbuster trade that brought Hardik to the franchise. He implied that Ashish Nehra should have been secured as part of the same process, pointing to the strong working partnership that developed between Hardik and Nehra during their time with Gujarat Titans, when they delivered an IPL title. Manjrekar said the trade “hasn’t worked” as intended and compared it to a “package deal,” suggesting that if Hardik was being brought to Mumbai, the support structure should have arrived alongside him—though he also remarked that Nehra would not be joining.
Concluding his remarks, Manjrekar said he would like to see Bumrah given a chance to captain in the IPL because it would not carry the same level of physical and scheduling pressure as Test captaincy. He highlighted that, in Tests, a captain has to remain continuously fit and prepared for every match, whereas the franchise format offers a different kind of responsibility.
