Leg and Off: Should MI move on from Hardik Pandya as captain after Qualifier 2 exit in IPL 2025?

As the Mumbai Indians (MI) finished a fifth consecutive IPL season without reaching the final, all eyes were on skipper Hardik Pandya. The MI captain was down on his haunches in disappointment as the Punjab Kings (PBKS) stunned his side by chasing down 204 in just 19 overs in the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 at Ahmedabad on Sunday, June 1.

Much was expected out of Hardik when MI traded for him ahead of the 2024 season. While finishing at the bottom of the table last year was unfathomable, most excused Hardik for his poor performance as a leader, given the circumstances that saw him getting booed by the fans across the stadiums.

However, the 31-year-old received tremendous support from the MI fans in the ongoing season, and falling short of ultimate glory has given way to several uncomfortable questions. 'Should MI move on from Hardik Pandya as captain in IPL 2026?' is a question that is being asked louder than ever, given the franchise's proud five-title stature.

Before arriving at a firm conclusion, let us deep dive into the various factors that work in favor of and against Hardik Pandya's captaining MI moving forward.

Why Hardik Pandya should continue as MI captain

Hardik Pandya ticked several boxes this season after a forgettable 2024 campaign [Credit: Getty]

As grim as things look for Hardik Pandya in the immediate aftermath of MI's stunning exit from IPL 2025, all is not lost when the broader picture is looked at. His maiden captaincy stint with the franchise saw them embarrassingly finish at the bottom of the standings.

In comparison, the side rejuvenated strongly to win eight out of their 14 league stage matches under Hardik. They also defeated a well-oiled Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Eliminator before suffering defeat to the PBKS with a final within sight.

While MI are one of the few sides that carry the 'Title or Bust' tag, a third-place finish in a ten-team competition is nothing to sneeze at, especially considering their disastrous 2024 campaign.

Furthermore, Hardik is a proven commodity as a captain in the IPL, leading GT to the title in their maiden season in 2022 and finishing runners-up the following season. It is also worth remembering that MI missed ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah for the first four matches of IPL 2025 when they went 1-3.

With Bumrah, MI won eight out of their 12 matches this season, including a streak of six wins in the middle of the league stage to get themselves in the playoff race. Hardik must also be cut some slack for the PBKS loss, considering MI were without several key contributors.

Two of their top five batters, Ryan Rickelton and Will Jacks, left for national duties ahead of the playoffs. The side also missed powerplay specialist Deepak Chahar in the playoffs due to injury.

Considering these circumstances and where they finished last season, one can easily look at Hardik Pandya's MI captaincy performance this year as a success and heading in the right direction.

Why MI must move on from Hardik Pandya as captain

Suryakumar Yadav could be next in line to captain MI [Credit: Getty]

As comforting as the previous section may appear for Hardik Pandya, the unfortunate 'other side of the coin' has just as many, if not more, factors. The tangibles aside, the mere optics too often did not make for pretty viewing with Hardik leading MI on the field.

Far too often, it felt like every player and the coaching staff member turned into the captain. It gave Hardik the look of a conflicted captain lacking clarity - a sight rarely seen with MI's previous and most successful captain, Rohit Sharma.

MI also boasted arguably the strongest starting XI on paper among the ten teams before the season. With the presence of India's 2024 T20 World Cup-winning core in Hardik, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah, along with proven T20 performers like Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, and Mitchell Santner, MI had a roster even international sides would envy.

Yet, getting eliminated by a PBKS unit featuring six uncapped players after finishing fourth in the league stage, MI's on-field performances fell woefully short of pre-season expectations that their squad warranted. Hardik, as captain, has to wear most of this underachievement, as is usually the case in team sports.

Even his on-field tactics were questionable all too often, with the latest example being the under-utilization of Santner and himself with the ball (four overs between them) as PBKS were plundering the likes of Reece Topley and Ashwani Kumar (each with an economy of over 13).

Lastly, MI have Suryakumar Yadav as a readymade option as he currently leads Team India brilliantly in T20Is. Under him, the Men in Blue have won 17 out of their 22 T20Is, and the MI management could feel his seemingly unflappable nature on the field might bring the best out of the players better than Hardik's occasional temperamental character.

Verdict

Hardik Pandya's future as MI captain must be a conversation the management engages in after his two disappointing seasons. A friendlier judgment of the veteran all-rounder's leadership will warrant a look at MI's undeniable progress from last to this season.

The various injuries and absences at different stages of key players will be another argument in favor of Hardik. Yet, overlooking the bad cannot be easy for a franchise that relies solely on results and titles.

Both the tangibles and intangibles lend themselves to enough reasons for why MI must have a change of captain heading into IPL 2026. Weighing the two opposites under equal lenses, MI should tilt towards moving on from Hardik Pandya as captain.