In one of the most high-profile sackings in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Hardik Pandya is set to lose his captaincy, according to a report in The Indian Express. Under Pandya, who replaced Rohit Sharma as the MI captain ahead of the 2024 season, the five-time champions lost 10 out of 14 matches in IPL 2026 to finish ninth. There was clear speculation from experts and former players about Hardik Pandya’s future as MI captain. What fuelled it further was Pandya deactivating his Instagram account a few days after MI’s campaign ended.
According to the report, whether Pandya will stay in the team as a player is also under discussion. “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,” the report quoted a source as saying.
The report claimed to have spoken to “at least three persons” in the MI fold.
“The coaching staff was very clear in its message to the senior players that wherever they play, they need to be coachable. There were many instances where the coaching staff recommended something backed by data, but the players didn’t follow it,” said a source.
“There will be serious introspection and discussion in the coming days. Every option will 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?” an MI old-timer said, according to the report.