IPL 2026: Kieron Pollard raises questions on Hardik Pandya's MI captaincy

Mumbai Indians batting coach Kieron Pollard has stopped just short of questioning Hardik Pandya’s captaincy after yet another disappointing season for the franchise in the Indian Premier League. Mumbai Indians finished ninth in the points table this season, marking the second time in three years that the team ended in the bottom two under Hardik’s leadership.

Hardik Pandya’s stint as captain has largely failed to deliver the results Mumbai Indians would have hoped for, despite the franchise boasting one of the strongest squads in the competition across all three seasons. After being booed heavily during his first season as captain in 2024, Hardik managed to steady things somewhat in 2025, but the campaign once again unravelled in 2026.

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I WILL QUESTION CERTAIN THINGS: POLLARD

Following India’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2026, Mumbai Indians were expected to benefit from their strong Indian core. Instead, the side struggled for consistency and failed to put together a sustained run of performances throughout the tournament.

A significant portion of the criticism fell on Hardik, whose tactical decisions and leadership came under scrutiny over the course of the season.

At the post-match press conference after Mumbai’s final game of the season, Pollard admitted that neither the management nor Hardik himself would have been satisfied with how the campaign unfolded.

“From a leadership perspective on Hardik, yes, it has not gone maybe as well as he would have wanted as an individual. It might not have gone as we would have wanted as a management staff. But one thing you know is that we have tried each and everything to give the best opportunity to lead the franchise to do well,” Pollard said.

“Again, no one is going to sit here and put blame or point fingers. I think when you lose, especially, you have to look at it from a collective perspective. So you win some, you lose some.”

MI TO DISCUSS HARDIK PANDYA

Pollard, however, hinted that discussions around the team’s future and possible changes would happen internally after a thorough review of the season.

“But at the end of the day, I will question certain things. He was trying. We all were trying. And it just didn’t work out for us. So just as previously answered, again, you sit, you talk, and see what’s best. Never know what’s going to happen. For us, let’s just lick our wounds in the meantime and hopefully come back stronger in 12 months’ time,” he concluded.

Hardik Pandya’s leadership will now remain one of the biggest talking points heading into the next IPL season. While Mumbai Indians have publicly continued to back their captain, the franchise’s results under Hardik have undeniably raised uncomfortable questions.

For a side that built its identity on consistency and championship-winning culture over the last decade, two disappointing campaigns in the last three seasons have only intensified scrutiny around the team’s direction. Mumbai Indians entered the season with one of the strongest squads on paper, but repeated tactical errors, inconsistent performances ultimately derailed their campaign.

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Pollard’s comments reflected that frustration without directly isolating Hardik for the failures. The batting coach repeatedly stressed that the problems were collective rather than individual, but also acknowledged that serious internal discussions would now follow after another underwhelming finish.

Whether Mumbai Indians continue with the same leadership structure or decide to rethink parts of their setup remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that the franchise heads into the off-season facing far more questions than answers after yet another season that fell well short of expectations.

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