IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians Eye Major Hardik Pandya Boost, MI Skipper Trains Alone Ahead Of Punjab Kings Clash - WATCH
Hardik Pandya has missed two consecutive matches for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2026. The MI skipper last featured in the clash against Chennai Super Kings on May 2.
- Cricket
- 2 min read
IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians are enduring a sluggish season in the IPL 2026. The Mumbai-based franchise has already been eliminated from the knockout stage after suffering eight defeats so far in the tournament. MI currently sits ninth in the standings with six points and a net run rate of -0.585, having managed only three wins despite a promising start to the season.
Mumbai Indians’ crisis deepened mid-season when news broke that skipper Hardik Pandya had sustained a back spasm injury.
The MI all-rounder has missed the last two matches, against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 4 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on May 10.
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Hardik Pandya Trains Alone Amid Injury Concerns
In a viral video circulating online, Hardik Pandya was seen practicing alone in the nets at a Reliance facility, showing no visible signs of discomfort.
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Mahela Jayawardene Sheds Light On Pandya's Injury
Following MI’s defeat to RCB on May 10, Mumbai coach Mahela Jayawardene provided an update on Hardik’s fitness, stating that the injury had not yet settled. He emphasized that Pandya’s recovery remains on a day-to-day basis.
"Yeah. Hardik had a back issue which we were trying to rectify, but it hasn’t settled in yet. So the medical guys were working on him. He couldn’t train the last few days, so we didn’t want to take a risk without knowing exactly. So we’ll see. It’s on a day-to-day basis. See how he feels,” Jayawardene told reporters.
Hardik Pandya has played 160 matches and 148 innings in his IPL career, scoring 2,895 runs at a strike rate of 146.35 and an average of 27.83. With the ball, he has claimed 82 wickets from 115 innings at an economy rate of 9.37 and a bowling average of 33.39.
In their upcoming fixture, Mumbai Indians will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 58th game of IPL 2026 on May 14, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.