Are Hardik Pandya's tactical moves weighing heavily on Mumbai Indians?
Hardik Pandya and Ruturaj Gaikwad (Source: BCCI/IPL)
Published - 26 Apr 2026, 11:56 AM• Read time - 12 mins
Mumbai Indians (MI), five‑time IPL champions, have endured a difficult start to their 2026 campaign. After 36 matches in the season, they sit eighth on the points table with just two wins, five losses, and a net run rate of ‑0.736.
While the team’s collective performance has been below par, captain Hardik Pandya’s tactical experiments have drawn attention. Three areas stand out where his decisions may have inadvertently hurt MI’s chances.
Usage of Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah is Mumbai’s premier strike bowler, renowned for his ability to deliver breakthroughs in the powerplay and control the death overs. Yet, his deployment this season has often been unconventional:
| Match | Overs bowled by Bumrah |
|---|---|
| MI vs KKR (Mar 29) | 5th, later spells |
| DC vs MI (Apr 4) | 2nd, 6th, 13th, 16th |
| RR vs MI (Apr 7) | 2nd, 7th, 10th (in 11‑over game) |
| MI vs RCB (Apr 12) | 4th, 6th, 17th, 19th |
| PBKS vs MI (Apr 16) | 2nd, 6th, 13th, 15th |
| GT vs MI (Apr 20) | 1st over (wicket first ball), later spells |
| MI vs CSK (Apr 23) | 1st, 5th, 17th, 19th |
In several matches, Bumrah was not given the new ball, reducing his impact against aggressive openers. Against Gujarat Titans (GT), when he did bowl the first over, he dismissed Sai Sudharsan with his very first delivery. This suggests that using Bumrah upfront could maximise his wicket‑taking potential.
Chopping and changing overseas combination
Continuity is often key to building momentum in the IPL. Mumbai’s overseas selections, however, have been in constant flux:
| Match | Overseas players |
|---|---|
| vs KKR | Ryan Rickelton, Sherfane Rutherford, Allah Ghazanfar, Trent Boult |
| vs DC | Corbin Bosch, Mitchell Santner, Sherfane Rutherford, Ryan Rickelton |
| vs RR | Ryan Rickelton, Sherfane Rutherford, Allah Ghazanfar, Trent Boult |
| vs RCB | Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Sherfane Rutherford, Ryan Rickelton |
| vs PBKS | Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock, Sherfane Rutherford (Ghazanfar as Impact Sub) |
| vs GT | Quinton de Kock, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Allah Ghazanfar |
| vs CSK | Quinton de Kock, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Allah Ghazanfar |
Hardik repeated the same overseas combination only once (vs Titans and Chennai Super Kings). The lack of continuity has prevented MI from settling into a rhythm, and in matches like the one against Punjab Kings (PBKS), fielding only three overseas players (three batters) left them short of firepower.
They brought in Allah Ghazanfar as an Impact Sub for Suryakumar Yadav, but they had only posted 195 on the board. It was not a par or above par total on that Wankhede surface against the might of PBKS.
Krish Bhagat's deployment vs CSK
Krish Bhagat, a 21‑year‑old injury replacement with no prior T20 experience, was thrust into a high‑pressure role against CSK. He was asked to bowl the 16th over against a set batter, Samson, who was on 62 and then the 20th while Samson was still there in the middle.
Bhagat conceded 15 and 16 runs in those overs. While his effort was earnest, the decision to assign death overs to such an inexperienced player was a tough ask, exposing him to a situation where failure was almost inevitable.
Mumbai Indians’ struggles in IPL 2026 cannot be attributed solely to Pandya’s captaincy. Form, fitness, and execution all play their part in shaping a campaign. Yet, the tactical choices around Bumrah’s usage, overseas player rotations, and Bhagat’s deployment have weighed heavily on MI’s season.
A more settled approach, maximising Bumrah’s impact with the new ball and not using him in scattered spells, stabilising overseas selections, and easing youngsters into less pressurised roles could help Mumbai rediscover the consistency that once made them champions.
