Mumbai Indians' IPL 2026 campaign has been one to forget. The five-time champions, who once dominated the league under former captain Rohit Sharma, find themselves eliminated from playoff contention after managing just four wins in 12 matches. It's a stark fall from grace for a franchise that lifted the trophy in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
At the center of the storm is captain Hardik Pandya, whose return to Mumbai Indians in 2024 as skipper was always going to be a high-pressure move. This season, his batting has been below par—146 runs in eight matches at an average of 20.85 and a strike rate of 136.44. With criticism mounting over both his form and leadership, the all-rounder has found support from an unexpected quarter: veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
"I wouldn't review his captaincy this year at all," Ashwin said on ESPNCricinfo. "Honestly, when you have seasons like this, to pin the blame on the captain is quite unfair. Nobody has turned up, the team has failed to turn up. And for Hardik to take the blame on himself is asking a little too much."
Ashwin's defense carries weight. Before rejoining Mumbai, Pandya led Gujarat Titans to a stunning IPL title in their debut 2022 season and guided them to the final again in 2023. Those back-to-back successes proved his captaincy credentials—but replacing a legend like Rohit Sharma was never going to be seamless.
Rohit's legacy with Mumbai Indians is monumental: five titles and a decade of dominance. Pandya's appointment in 2024 sparked strong reactions from fans, with the all-rounder even facing boos during matches. Now, with the team collectively underperforming, Ashwin believes it's unfair to single out the captain.
"It's not easy to replace an incumbent Indian white-ball captain," Ashwin added. "He did something right at Gujarat Titans. Coming back to Mumbai, he's had to deal with quite a bit."
For Mumbai Indians, the road ahead requires more than just a leadership change. It demands a collective reset—both in strategy and squad performance. And for Pandya, the challenge is to rebuild trust while rediscovering his own form with the bat. As any cricket fan knows, champions aren't built overnight, and even the most decorated franchises have to weather the storm before the sun shines again.