There was a sharp split-screen feel to Mumbai Indians’ IPL campaign: fireworks at the start, heavy silence at the end. Anyone who watched the franchise at Wankhede on March 29 and then again on May 24 would have noticed the contrast instantly. They opened the season by taking on Kolkata Knight Riders head-on and, with a composed chase, hauled down 220 to snap a long-standing curse of losing the opening match for 13 straight years.
The early scenes carried a sense of occasion. Owners, including Mukesh Ambani, were seen descending from the stands to mix with the players and even members of the opposition. Predictions followed quickly, with many believing this side could be “the season” for Mumbai Indians—an outfit that looked every bit like the World XI tag Justin Langer had placed on them.
From promise to problem
- Mumbai Indians began with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders, chasing 220 in the season opener on March 29.
- The triumph ended a 13-year streak of first-match losses.
- On May 24, MI were unable to get the better of Rajasthan Royals.
- They did not take a lap of honour after their final home game.
- Tilak Varma finished with 359 runs, including a century versus Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.
- Jasprit Bumrah took 4 wickets; 64 other bowlers picked more wickets than him in IPL 2026.
- MI posted a home failure against Sunrisers Hyderabad, conceding 243 and failing to defend it.
- The captaincy and even potential trade talk surfaced by season’s end.
- Final verdict: IPL 2026 for MI rated a 2 on a 1-to-10 scale.
Then came May 24, and the atmosphere changed. Even after disposing of the threat posed by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cheaply, Mumbai Indians could not overcome the Rajasthan Royals. The lack of celebration was visible too—so dispirited were they that they skipped the customary lap of honour that teams often perform after their last home match of the season.
What followed was a season that never quite found rhythm. The campaign featured three captains and 24 players—an unusually high number of changes for a single side—alongside selections that raised eyebrows. With 10 defeats piling up, Mumbai Indians looked sluggish throughout, and the issue was most glaring in their home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where they failed to defend 243.
At times, it was unclear who would lead the team until the toss, underlining the instability around the squad. By the end of the tournament, the debate had moved from tactics to personnel—there was talk of changing captaincy, and even the possibility of a trade involving the incumbent. For a franchise that has lifted the trophy five times in the past, this outcome felt like a distant memory.
Player of the season: Tilak Varma
In a year defined by underachievers and underperformers, Tilak Varma stood out as a genuine bright spot for Mumbai Indians. Even though he was not the team’s leading run-getter, his 359 runs were still a meaningful contribution—particularly considering he did not enjoy a fixed batting role in the middle order.
Varma’s quality showed in the big moments as well. His century against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad was described as an innings of substance and craft, and it added weight to his status as the side’s standout performer.
A stat that sums it up: Bumrah’s wickets
One figure captured the scale of MI’s struggles with the ball. Jasprit Bumrah finished with 4 wickets, and—crucially—64 bowlers took more wickets than him across IPL 2026. That gap was highlighted as one of the reasons the campaign ended so poorly.
Mini-auction picks and the outcomes
Mumbai’s squad-building also offered a mixed storyline. Quinton de Kock, identified as a mini-auction pick who looked like a certain bargain, made only three appearances but made them count—he struck a century in one of those innings. The management’s decision to move away from him after that run saw his opening slot taken by another South African, Ryan Rickelton.
Rickelton, in turn, became the team’s most reliable batter and produced his best work in the role MI placed him in. De Kock’s situation also had a practical twist: he does not always open for South Africa, which made MI’s call to use him at the top all the more consequential. The season’s narrative suggests that MI management could have persisted with de Kock longer, even if that would have meant pushing Rickelton down the order.
Another mini-auction option, Danish Malewar, did not fit the bill. In the two games he played, he looked out of sorts and failed to make an impact that matched the expectations around a new addition.
Best match of the season
The stand-out performance for Mumbai Indians came away from home against Punjab Kings in Dharamshala on May 24. Tilak Varma and Will Jacks combined to add 56 runs off just 21 balls, setting the tone early in the chase. From there, MI stayed calm and finished the job by knocking off the 15 runs required in the final over to reach 201.
It was arguably Varma’s finest outing of the entire season, coming close on the heels of his century in Ahmedabad. Just as importantly, the chase effectively derailed the momentum of the Punjab Kings at the time, turning a high-pressure period into a defining MI win.
By the numbers and the mood, IPL 2026 for Mumbai Indians ultimately landed at a score of 2 out of 10 for the franchise — closer to disappointment than celebration, and far removed from the dominant years the side is known for.
