NEW DELHI: The dejection on Hardik Pandya's face was unmistakable as Mumbai Indians suffered another defeat in IPL 2026, this time at the hands of Chennai Super Kings. The eight-wicket loss has left Mumbai's playoff hopes hanging by a thread. With only two wins from nine matches and four points, the team languishes in ninth place on the points table.
Star-Studded Lineup Fails to Deliver
A team boasting names like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah, with five IPL titles to its name, has struggled to find form this season. No Mumbai Indians batter or bowler features in the top five of the leading run-scorers or wicket-takers lists for IPL 2026, highlighting the team's collective struggles.
Lack of Support for Captain Hardik Pandya
Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary expressed disappointment over the lack of support for Pandya, who took over the captaincy in 2024. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Tiwary said, "It was already over for me. When I sit here, I speak openly about what I see. Based on the cricket I've witnessed, a captain must win the confidence of every player; you have to be a leader. However, it feels like no one is standing with Hardik. The support he needs simply isn't there."
Tiwary further criticized the inconsistency of key players: "Yes, the captain has a role, and in my opinion, he isn't playing well. But beyond that, the other players must take responsibility. For instance, Surya is not performing consistently on a daily basis, and Tilak hasn't maintained his form after one good match. With that kind of inconsistency from the squad, how can you produce results? It's very disappointing."
Mathematical Elimination Looms
Former India spinner Murali Kartik believes Mumbai's campaign is effectively over. "Look, you have five matches left. Even if you win five out of five, you only reach 14 points. If you look at the table now, PBKS, RCB, SRH, and RR are all sitting around 12 or 13 points. Even if those teams only win two or three more games, they will remain ahead," Kartik said on Cricbuzz.
He added, "Even if Mumbai wins every remaining match, 14 is their ceiling. Meanwhile, the top four teams still have games in hand. Punjab Kings have six matches left; RCB and SRH have five; Rajasthan has four. There would need to be a massive shift for MI to qualify. As it stands, the other teams are well ahead, and even GT is struggling to climb up from the bottom. I would say the campaign is 99.999% over."
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