IPL 2026: Former Cricketer Asks Hardik Pandya to Step Down as MI Captain
Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has advised Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya to give up his captaincy role due to the team’s poor performance in IPL 2026. Currently, MI is ninth in the standings with only two points from five matches.
Their sole victory came against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their opening game. Since then, they have lost four straight matches, including their latest defeat to Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Thursday.
Tiwary suggested that Hardik should reflect on his leadership and gameplay. He pointed out that Mumbai Indians won multiple titles under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy from 2015 to 2023. Tiwary believes Hardik’s current leadership is not strong enough and has caused the team’s struggles.
Hardik took over as MI captain in 2024 after leading Gujarat Titans to victory in 2022. Tiwary feels that removing Rohit Sharma as captain was a mistake and wants Hardik to hand back the role to him.
Mumbai Indians’ last IPL title was in 2020 when they beat Delhi Capitals (DC) in the final. Since then, they have not won any trophies. Tiwary emphasized the importance of strong leadership and proactive decision-making.
MI faces a tough challenge as they aim to turn their season around. Their next match is against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Monday. With low playoff hopes, they need to improve quickly to avoid more losses this season.