Hardik Pandya Reportedly Done With Mumbai Indians, Won’t Feature for the 5-time Champions Next Season

The 5-time champions, Mumbai Indians, are reportedly in no mood to continue with all-rounder Hardik Pandya as their skipper next season. The management is reportedly planning a massive shake-up ahead of IPL 2027. The decision comes after the 5-time champions experienced a low this season, finishing in 9th position with only 4 wins and 10 losses from 14 games, leading to immense criticism from fans, experts, and former players alike.

Hardik Pandya had a tough stint with the Mumbai Indians upon his return

Hardik’s journey as the skipper of the Mumbai Indians began in 2024 when he was traded in from the Gujarat Titans, a team that he led to the title in their inaugural season in 2022 and finished as the finalist in 2023. Hardik replaced 5-time title-winning skipper Rohit Sharma as the leader of the Mumbai Indians, which triggered widespread anger among fans.

As per the Indian Express, the Indian all-rounder is not going to continue as MI’s skipper in the upcoming season.

“There were enough signs during the season that the team management wasn’t keen to retain him as captain. There is a clear buzz in the camp,” a source in the report was quoted as saying. 

“There will be serious introspection and discussion in the coming days. Every option would be weighed. Many questions need to be addressed. Going ahead, can Hardik be the captain? Does he stay in the team just as a player?” a franchise insider said according to the same report.

 

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Another source revealed that after Mumbai’s 30‑run defeat to Rajasthan Royals, the dressing room talk reportedly carried a stern message from the coaching staff aimed at the senior players, stressing discipline and professionalism throughout the season. MI’s bowling unit conceded 205 despite striking at regular intervals, and their chase faltered in the powerplay, where four wickets fell, leaving them short of the target.

“The coaching staff was very clear in their message to the senior players that wherever they play, they need to be coachable. There were many instances where the coaching staff recommended something which was backed by data but players didn’t follow it,” another source stated.

Hardik led the Mumbai Indians across three IPL seasons. Under him, they finished at the bottom twice in 2024 and 2026 with identical wins and losses, i.e., 4 wins and 10 losses from 14 games. The only fruitful season for MI under Hardik turned out to be 2025, where they finished third after losing to the Punjab Kings by 5 wickets in the second qualifier.

After a fairly good season in 2025, the Mumbai Indians team management stuck with Hardik Pandya as their skipper for the 2026 season, but things didn’t pan out the way they would have wanted. Hardik faced constant booing from crowds at various stadiums, including the team’s home ground at the Wankhede Stadium. The immense off-field pressure clearly impacted his on-field choices, and his tactical decisions under pressure were frequently questioned by cricket pundits. q

His personal form also took a massive hit during the tournament. Hardik scored just 206 runs and picked up a mere four wickets in his 10 appearances, failing to deliver the match-winning impact he is known for.

Mumbai Indians’ Campaign Under Hardik (IPL 2026)

• Matches Played: 14
• Matches Won: 4
• Matches Lost: 10
• Final Position: 9th Place

Hardik Pandya ‘Mentally Stressed’ and ‘Completely Exhausted,’ set to leave MI before next season

After a dismal season in 2026, the Mumbai Indians management has reportedly made up its mind to strip all-rounder Hardik Pandya of captaincy duties ahead of the next season. For the next season, the current Indian T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav is the frontrunner to lead the five-time champions. Surya is the current vice-captain of MI, and he led the franchise in 2-3 matches this season as well when the all-rounder was injured.

Also, a source close to the team revealed that Hardik is done with the Mumbai Indians and isn’t in any mood to continue with the team in the future.

“Hardik was mentally stressed and completely exhausted. He had also sustained a back injury. In fact, once the play-off hopes were dashed, Hardik informed the decision-makers that he wouldn’t be staying back.”

The rumors are already buzzing for a possible trade of the Indian all-rounder before IPL 2027. Teams like the Chennai Super Kings and the Delhi Capitals have shown interest with a lot of social media posts making the claim ever since the Mumbai Indians’ season campaign ended. Only time will tell which team Hardik hops onto ahead of the start of the Tata IPL 2027.