Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians (MI) had another below-par IPL season and they failed to qualify for the second round of IPL 2026. With only 4 wins and 8 points, MI finished in the ninth spot.
Pandya’s future as the MI captain could be in doubt following their forgettable season. Sharing his take on MI, Wasim Jaffer said that he would retain Pandya in the squad. However, he would not keep him as the captain.
“I will not make him the captain, but he will surely be retained. I want him to open up and get the best out of him,” Wasim Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.
Pandya returned to MI via trade before the IPL 2024 mini-auction. MI made the big call and sacked Rohit Sharma from captaincy. Pandya-led MI finished in the 10th spot in the IPL 2024 points table. It was the first time they finished last in the table.
In 2025, Pandya-led MI made it to the second round. They won the eliminator but lost to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the second qualifier. In 2026, MI once again failed to make it to the second round under Pandya. They haven’t played an IPL final since 2020.
Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 journey
Mumbai Indians kicked off their 2026 journey with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders but lost their next four back-to-back games. They registered a big 99-run over Gujarat Titans in their sixth match.
MI suffered their next three games. They finally registered their third game against Lucknow Super Giants. They registered their fourth and final game of the tournament against Punjab Kings. MI didn’t win two back-to-back games in IPL 2026.
Pandya missed four games in the season due to back spasms. Suryakumar Yadav led MI in three games in his absence while Jasprit Bumrah captained the team in one fixture.