Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya sparked widespread speculation by deactivating his official Instagram account for a while on Wednesday (May 27).

Searches for his handle yield "User not found" or "This profile is private" messages. This sudden social media disappearance follows a highly scrutinized IPL 2026 season where MI finished ninth on the 10-team points table.

While the exact reason for deactivation remains unknown, the internet has been flooded with various theories, with many linking the move to the heavy criticism he faced throughout the tournament.

However, hours later, Hardik’s Instagram profile was visible to the fans.

MI managed only four wins in their 14 league matches during the ongoing IPL. Subsequently, Hardik Pandya was subjected to intense online backlash, with fans also speculating a trade might be around the corner.

The trade rumour intensified after Hardik shared a cryptic Instagram story. Netizens were left wondering whether the "07:07" timestamp on his phone in the post alluded to a probable move to MS Dhoni-starrer Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

On a personal front, Hardik had a below-par season for Mumbai Indians. In 10 matches, he scored 206 runs at an average of 22.89 and a strike rate of 138.25. It was one of the lowest-scoring seasons of his career, with a top score of just 40. His impact with the ball was severely limited as he managed to pick up just 4 wickets during the tournament.

The all-rounder also had to sit out a few crucial games during the latter half of the season, notably dealing with recurring back spasms.