Mumbai Indians are once again staring at a major leadership shake-up, and this time, Hardik Pandya’s captaincy future looks far from secure.
After another disappointing IPL season where MI failed to qualify for the playoffs and finished ninth on the points table, reports have now claimed that the franchise is seriously considering removing Hardik Pandya as captain ahead of IPL 2027.
The five-time champions entered IPL 2026 with massive expectations. Mumbai Indians retained most of their core and backed the all-rounder once again, but the results only became worse.
According to a report by The Indian Express, Pandya’s reign as Mumbai Indians captain is nearing its end after the team’s poor IPL 2026 campaign.
The report claimed that the Mumbai Indians are likely to strip Hardik Pandya of captaincy following internal discussions within the franchise. The report, quoting multiple sources inside the MI setup, stated that there were already signs during the season that the management was not fully convinced of Hardik continuing as skipper.
The report further mentioned that the Mumbai Indians’ coaching staff had a strong message for senior players after the team’s final game against the Rajasthan Royals.
The discussions inside the franchise reportedly are not just about captaincy. Hardik Pandya’s place in the squad itself could also come under scrutiny.
Why Hardik Pandya is being sacked as captain?
The biggest reason behind this reported decision is simple. The Mumbai Indians have completely failed in the last three IPL seasons.
In IPL 2024, Pandya’s first season as captain turned into a nightmare. Mumbai Indians finished at the bottom of the table with just four wins in 14 matches and ended the season with eight points.
The franchise hoped things would improve in IPL 2025, and for a brief period, they actually looked dangerous. Mumbai Indians won eight matches and reached the playoffs with 16 points. But despite qualifying, they still never looked like a dominant title-winning side.
Then came IPL 2026, which completely derailed everything again. Mumbai Indians lost 10 out of their 14 league matches and finished ninth on the points table with just eight points. Their bowling struggled badly throughout the season, the batting looked outdated compared to teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, and tactically, MI often appeared confused.
What probably hurt the franchise more was the fact that several teams around them evolved rapidly while the Mumbai Indians looked stuck in the past, and despite having some of the biggest names in world cricket, simply failed to keep pace.
The same report also pointed out how MI struggled to maximize the powerplay compared to successful teams.
Hardik Pandya alone cannot be blamed for everything because Mumbai Indians had issues across departments. But when a captain wins just 15 out of 39 matches across three seasons, questions are bound to be asked.
Hardik Pandya's record as Mumbai Indians captain
Hardik Pandya’s captaincy record with the Mumbai Indians makes for poor reading. The all-rounder has captained Mumbai Indians in 39 matches between IPL 2024 and IPL 2026. Out of those 39 games, MI managed to win only 15 matches while losing 24.
That gives Hardik a win percentage of just 38.46%, which is among the lowest for a full-time Mumbai Indians captain in IPL history.
For comparison, Rohit Sharma led the Mumbai Indians in 163 matches and won 91 of them with a win percentage of 55.82%. Sachin Tendulkar also enjoyed a much better record as MI skipper, winning 32 out of his 55 games.
Pandya’s numbers become even more concerning when viewed alongside Mumbai Indians’ title drought. The franchise has now gone six straight seasons without winning the IPL trophy, which is their joint-longest barren run in tournament history.
Also Read: Former IPL Chairman crowns Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as IPL 2026's best buy; leaves out Virat Kohli and Abhishek
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