New Delhi: ‘Not the weather, I think’ – disappointment continues. Hardik PandyaIt was obvious from his face. Mumbai Indians Another defeat in IPL 2026, this time against Chennai Super Kings. Mumbai Indians’ hopes of qualifying for the playoffs are now hanging by a thread after a crushing eight-wicket defeat. They are ninth with just two wins and just four points from nine matches.A star-studded Mumbai Indians side, including players like Rohit Sharma, Surya Kumar YadavPandya and Jasprit Bumrah, with five IPL titles to their name and known for dominating opposition teams, are struggling at the moment.
There is no Mumbai Indians batsman or bowler in the list of highest run scorers or wicket takers in IPL 2026.After Mumbai Indians’ seventh defeat of the season, former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwari. It feels like Pandya, who took over the captaincy in 2024, did not get the support he wanted from his teammates.“It’s already over for me. When I sit here, I’m open about what I see. Based on the cricket I’ve seen, a captain has to win the trust of every player; you have to be a leader. However, it feels like nobody is standing by Hardik. The support he needs is not there,” Tiwary said on CricketBuzz.“Yes, the captain has a role, and in my opinion, he is not playing well. But apart from that, other players have to take responsibility. For example, Suriya has not been consistent on a daily basis, and Tilak has not maintained his form even after a good match.Former Indian spinner Murali Karthik Also believe that IPL 2026 is over for Mumbai Indians.“Look, you’ve got five matches left. I’m saying forget who you’re playing against – even if you win five out of five, you only get to 14 points. If you look at the table now, PBKS, RCB, SRH, and RR are all sitting around 12 or 13 points. Even if those teams win just two or three more games, they will be ahead,” Karthik said on Crackbuzz.“Even if Mumbai win every remaining match, they are limited to 14. Meanwhile, the top four teams still have a game to play. Punjab Kings have six matches left; RCB and SRH have five; Rajasthan have four. MI will need a massive overhaul to qualify. As it stands, the other teams are well ahead, and even below GT will be campaigning. 99.999% is high,” He concluded.
