Hardik Pandya\u2019s workload as captain is growing heavier by the week as Mumbai Indians\u2019 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Those concerns intensified immediately in Mumbai\u2019s encounter with Chennai Super Kings, where they suffered a 103-run defeat\u2014described as their most lopsided loss in IPL history. The result didn\u2019t just dent their standings; it also put Pandya\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Pathan\u2019s criticism was especially focused on how bowling responsibilities were assigned during critical phases. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he suggested Pandya\u2019s call to bring Krish Bhagat into the attack at a high-pressure moment was a misstep, and that the captain\u2019s handling of the final over compounded the issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou (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,\u201d Pathan said.<\/p>\n
Pathan also extended his critique to MI\u2019s planning around the Wankhede contest\u2014both 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Off the field and in leadership discussions, MI are not the only ones under strain\u2014Pandya\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe 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,\u201d Pathan said in his analysis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hardik Pandya\u2019s workload as captain is growing heavier by the week as Mumbai Indians\u2019 IPL campaign continues to slip. After seven matches, the five-time champions…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4920,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"MI vs CSK IPL Update: Hardik\u2019s Survival Mode Alert","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"MI\u2019s IPL title talk fades fast after CSK\u2019s thrashing\u2014Hardik\u2019s captaincy pressure mounts and Irfan Pathan issues a survival-mode warning.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n