In December 2023, Mumbai Indians welcomed Hardik Pandya back with the kind of celebration reserved for marquee returns. The franchise also handed him the captaincy, convinced that his leadership could reverse MI’s slide. The logic was straightforward: Hardik had delivered major impact for Gujarat Titans, winning the IPL title in 2022 and finishing as runners-up the next year. With Mumbai struggling during Rohit Sharma’s later years—missing out on silverware for three seasons—the recruitment plan looked like a direct route back to the top.
Key takeaways
- Hardik Pandya was appointed Mumbai Indians captain in December 2023, with MI aiming to arrest a trophy drought.
- Hardik faced heavy crowd criticism in IPL 2024, when MI finished at the bottom of the table.
- In the current season, MI sit second from bottom with only two wins from eight matches, reigniting calls for change.
- Simon Doull says MI should decide clearly on the captaincy plan for the next one or two seasons, and if Hardik isn’t the answer, he should be released.
- Pommie Mbangwa supports a captaincy review, arguing that MI should examine broader factors before jumping to conclusions.
From Gujarat triumphs to MI turbulence
Despite the confidence surrounding the appointment, the results over the last three IPL seasons have not matched the promise. In IPL 2024, Hardik endured audible boos from the stands as Mumbai finished last. The next campaign offered a partial rebound, with MI reaching the playoffs. However, this season has brought the same concerns back to the surface, with the team failing to build consistent momentum. They are currently placed second from bottom, having won just twice in eight matches—an outcome that has left many supporters questioning whether the captaincy experiment has delivered more harm than benefit.
Doull urges a decisive captaincy call
While the final call rests with the franchise, former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull believes Mumbai must take a firm stance on Hardik’s role. Doull’s argument is not simply about performances in isolation, but about clarity for the future: if Hardik is not going to be the leader beyond the immediate period, then MI should move him on rather than prolong uncertainty.
Speaking on Cricbuzz after MI’s six-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, Doull set out his position. He framed the decision around a basic question—who will be captain next year—and insisted that if the answer is not Hardik Pandya, then the team should release him.
“My point would be: who is your captain next year? If they are going to change something, who is going to be the captain next year? If it is not going to be Hardik Pandya, release him. Only because I don't know how he will perform in an environment where he has underperformed, his team has underperformed for three years, and then his job goes,” Doull said.
Doull also acknowledged that removing the captaincy might not guarantee an instant improvement—emotionally or on the field. He suggested it could either relieve pressure or prompt a different reaction from Hardik, depending on how the all-rounder processes the moment.
“It might free him up, it might not. It might make him feel, ‘I have failed.’ It could go either way. When fully fit, Hardik has been one of the best all-rounders in the game. My only point is, if he is going to be the captain, is he willing to take the backseat, put in the hard yards, and just be Hardik-the great player-yet again?” he added.
Mbangwa calls for review, not instant scapegoating
Doull’s view sparked broader debate, and his fellow panelist Pommie Mbangwa offered a contrasting nuance. Mbangwa said he is not advocating for immediate removal, but he does want Mumbai to review Hardik’s captaincy and consider other options instead of treating the situation as a one-man problem.
The former Zimbabwe pacer urged MI to widen the lens. While acknowledging the captaincy discussions, he argued that it is too simple to react only when results dip, especially if other variables—such as conditions and fit—may have played a role.
“I would have a review of things. Remember when, in 2024, he endured a tough time throughout the IPL, and he ended up doing well for India at the T20 World Cup. Maybe the conditions haven’t been accurate for him as well. So you need both those things. It’s easy to say, ‘Oh, we’re losing. It’s the skipper’s fault. Change him.’ That’s not the answer. You’ve got to have everybody on the same page, let’s look under each stone and then make a decision. Who is the next leader for the group? It might yet be Hardik. So don’t discount that, but don’t behave like there aren’t issues,” Mbangwa said.
