MI will begin their IPL 2026 against KKR on March 29 in Mumbai.
Hardik Pandya became the MI captain in IPL 2024, when he was traded from the Gujarat Titans, where he had led GT to the IPL 2022 win. However, MI failed to perform to its best in IPL 2024, finishing at the bottom of the points table. There was also criticism of Hardik Pandya as MI management had removed fan favorite Rohit Sharma from a leadership role.
R Ashwin believes Suryakumar Yadav has a solid case to be named the Mumbai Indians captain. However, Ashwin also pointed out that the current MI captain, Hardik Pandya, has the qualities to continue as captain.
“Suryakumar Yadav not being the captain of the Mumbai Indians is a no-brainer. Usko captaincy dena hi chahiye (He should definitely be the captain). And the fact that it isn’t happening, I’m sure, is a bit of a concern,” Ashwin said on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat.
Ashwin also emphasized the captaincy skills of the current skipper, Hardik Pandya. Following a disastrous first season in charge in Mumbai, Hardik was able to lead the team to the playoffs last season.
“We should also look at Hardik’s captaincy credentials. Hardik Pandya, as the Gujarat Titans captain, won a title in his first season, and the team was the runner-up in the second. When he came to Mumbai, the expectation was that he would be the captain and continue that trend. However, his first year was spent just handling the whole Rohit Sharma saga.
Now he has to contend with a lot of people telling him that Suryakumar Yadav is the incumbent Indian team captain, yet Hardik is the captain of Mumbai. It’s a very challenging situation; a lot of things could be going through his mind. But I don’t think Hardik Pandya, the captain, lacks credentials—he does have them. He did a great job with the captaincy for the Gujarat Titans,” Ashwin added.
“Leaving [external issues] aside, without any pressure and with the support of the players and management, I still think Hardik can do a fine job. He just needs to use this squad that he has in the right way,” Ashwin said.
Ashwin then predicted that the Mumbai Indians were good enough on paper to reach the final of this season’s IPL.
“Mumbai Indians—like I said—do not have even one small reason to say that they will not make the top two this year. If injury problems don’t cause a major setback, I can see them comfortably getting into the top two. In fact, Mumbai can carry two or three out-of-form players and yet win the season,” Ashwin predicted.