IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians Get Hardik Pandya Boost, All-rounder Returns To Practice Ahead Of Rajasthan Royals Clash

IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians will seek a return to winning ways when they square off against the Rajasthan Royals in an IPL 2026 clash on Tuesday. The five-time champions made a sensational start to IPL 2026 with a blockbuster win against KKR. But powered by Sameer Rizvi's explosive knock, Delhi Capitals halted MI's winning juggernaut, and the five-time champions will now have a number of concerns to address ahead of the RR clash. Mumbai's priority will be to get captain Hardik Pandya fit for the game.

Hardik Pandya Boost For Mumbai Indians

Hardik missed the DC game, and Suryakumar Yadav led the team in his absence. India's T20I captain confirmed at the toss that Hardik was “ unwell” and MI made a couple of changes with Deepak Chahar and Corbin Bosch coming into the side.

In a major boost, Hardik has started bowling in the nets and was seen in full tilt bowling and even bowled some yorkers with full conviction. He did some stretching before he came to bowl, and once he hit the ground, he looked comfortable in his steps.

He then padded up and batted for a while, practising all the shots under a strict watch of batting coach Kieron Pollard. It remains to be seen whether he manages to keep his place in the team.

Hardik Pandya's Fitness Will Be Crucial For 2027 ODI World Cup

Hardik remains a crucial part of India's white-ball plans, and with the 2027 ODI World Cup coming up next. His fitness will be of paramount importance. There have been reports of hard work behind the scenes by Hardik Pandya in order to ensure he remains in perfect condition to fulfil his quota of 10 overs in ODIs. Hardik's last ODI match happened to be the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in Dubai last year.

Hardik's persistent injury issues has hampered his progress a number of times.

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