Hardik Pandya’s IPL captaincy record has been under scrutiny ever since he returned to the Mumbai Indians. The side has failed to reproduce the magic of previous years. As the team’s leader, the Indian all-rounder hasn’t been able to drive the side to expectations. As a result, they finished 10th in 2024 and 3rd in 2025.
How would you rate Hardik Pandya’s captaincy tenure with Mumbai Indians in the IPL? 🤔
Drop your rating out of 10! 👇#IPL2026 #MI #HardikPandya #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/V0o2blib2N
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) April 23, 2026
Now, things are getting messier for the champion all-rounder, as the five-time winners sit 8th in the standings this season following a horror 103-run defeat to the Chennai Super Kings at Wankhede on Thursday. Mumbai Indians have displayed a couple of brilliant performances so far: one in their opening game against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede, where they chased down a mammoth 220 with five balls to spare, and another against the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, where they secured a comfortable 99-run win. Will Hardik Pandya step down as MI captain? We’ll have to wait and see.
Mumbai Indians Record Their Biggest Loss
Hardik Pandya’s on-field decision-making has always been a talking point in the Indian Premier League. He has been criticised multiple times for his bowling changes—an area where former skipper Rohit Sharma excelled, leading the team to five IPL titles.
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The latest example of Pandya’s struggles as captain came in their recent outing at Wankhede, where they suffered their biggest loss in IPL history, losing to long-time rivals Chennai Super Kings by 103 runs. Pandya went wicketless in the two overs he bowled and managed just one run with the bat. His overall performance in the tournament so far—97 runs and 3 wickets in six matches—has also raised questions about his individual form.
Assessing Hardik Pandya’s Captaincy
Hardik Pandya’s IPL captaincy record for the Mumbai Indians doesn’t look too impressive, as the side has won 15 out of 36 matches he has led so far. With a win percentage of just over 40, Pandya hasn’t carried on Rohit Sharma’s legacy, who will go down as one of the all-time greatest captains in the tournament’s history.
MI suffer their biggest defeat by runs in the IPL 😲 pic.twitter.com/9xMqu3tFG0
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 23, 2026
Hardik Pandya is undoubtedly one of India’s finest all-rounders, but he lacked the skill to manage players and situations effectively during his stint with the Mumbai Indians, which started in 2024. Being alongside Rohit Sharma, Surya Kumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah, who have all led India in different capacities, didn’t help Pandya when he made his surprise comeback as a leader in the Mumbai Indians setup.
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There have also been reports suggesting that Hardik Pandya doesn’t listen to the seniors and has the habit of making decisions on his own while on the field. Seeing Hardik Pandya’s IPL captaincy record, it won’t be any surprise if he is removed from his role if the side fails to make at least the Playoffs in the ongoing season.
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Will Hardik Pandya Step Down As MI Captain?
What lies in the future for Hardik Pandya? Will he be able to continue as a leader, or will he step down? It all depends on the outcome of the current 2026 season, where the Mumbai Indians sit 8th in the standings with 4 points, having recorded 2 wins and 5 losses.
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Yes, cricketers will always be judged based only on their results, but at the same time, Pandya is going through a learning curve as well, meeting the demands of the millions of passionate fans all over the world. The extra baggage of leadership responsibilities even affected his individual performances as he managed 537 runs and picked up 28 wickets across 35 matches for the Mumbai Indians since IPL 2024. The spark in his batting has lacked as he failed to score a half-century as a Mumbai Indians skipper. While with the ball, he has been on the receiving end, going at the rate of 10.75 (2024), 9.77 (2025) and 12.66 (2026) runs an over.
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With 7 matches still left in the league stage of the current season, there is still a lot of time left, and there is a chance for the Mumbai Indians to secure their place in the Playoffs. They need at least 5 wins to advance further; that depends on other results as well. Will Pandya inspire and turn it around for the Mumbai Indians?”, The question continues to linger among fans. Answer to “Will Hardik Pandya step down as MI captain”? Only if the side doesn’t make it to the Playoffs this season.
