Hardik Pandya, captain of the Mumbai Indians, is facing criticism after the team’s slow start to IPL 2026. MI have recorded just one victory in five matches and is 9th in the points table. On Thursday, they were convincingly defeated at home by Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings, marking their fourth loss of the season. Their only win so far came against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium on March 29.
Former India batter Manoj Tiwary, speaking to Cricbuzz, questioned Hardik’s leadership, saying the all-rounder has not delivered as expected since taking over the captaincy.
“Where does ownership begin? You have to reflect on yourself as well and assess your performance. Not having success this year doesn’t mean all mistakes happened this year. It’s important to understand the root cause. Between 2015 and 2023, Rohit Sharma played a key role in helping the Mumbai Indians win multiple trophies,” said Tiwary.
Tiwary also recommended that Hardik consider stepping aside and handing the role back to Rohit, who led MI to five IPL titles between 2013 and 2023.
“In 2024, there was no trophy. In 2025, the same. And it looks likely this year as well. I feel the captaincy is not strong enough. I don’t want to sound harsh, but Hardik isn’t leading the team as effectively as he should. A captain must be proactive. If a solution is needed, I believe Hardik should consider stepping down and handing the leadership back to Rohit. Removing Rohit was unfair,” he added.
Tiwary also took issue with Hardik’s tactical choices in the PBKS loss, questioning his decision to promote himself above Sherfane Rutherford and to open with Deepak Chahar despite the pacer’s recent struggles.
“Hardik shouldn’t have promoted himself against the Punjab Kings. He managed only 14 runs off 12 balls, while Sherfane Rutherford faced just five deliveries. If Rutherford had faced more, he could have cleared the boundary 3–4 times. Hardik believed he could do it, and maybe he could have, but Rutherford should have been promoted. Also, giving Jasprit Bumrah the second over instead of the first doesn’t make sense. Deepak Chahar, unfortunately, hasn’t been able to swing the ball effectively,” he concluded.
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