R Ashwin Refuses to Review Hardik Pandya's Captaincy After MI's Poor IPL Season

Ravichandran Ashwin has defended Hardik Pandya amid growing criticism over the Mumbai Indians’ disappointing IPL 2026 campaign, saying it would be unfair to hold the captain solely responsible for the franchise’s struggles this season. Mumbai Indians were eliminated early from the playoff race after managing just four wins from 12 matches, making them one of the poorest-performing teams of the tournament despite entering the season with high expectations.

Speaking about the Mumbai Indians’ campaign, Ashwin said the team as a whole failed to deliver and that blaming only the captain ignored the broader issues affecting the side. He stated that difficult seasons in franchise cricket cannot be assessed purely through leadership results, especially when several players fail to perform consistently. Ashwin added that expecting Hardik Pandya to shoulder the entire responsibility for the team’s poor run would place excessive pressure on one individual. His comments came during a discussion on ESPNcricinfo while reviewing the performances of IPL teams this season.

Mumbai Indians have endured a turbulent period since Hardik Pandya returned to the franchise as captain ahead of the 2024 season. The leadership transition attracted significant public scrutiny, particularly after former captain Rohit Sharma was replaced. Since then, the five-time IPL champions have struggled to regain consistency and are yet to win another title under Pandya’s leadership. Injuries, inconsistent team combinations, and underwhelming performances from key players have further complicated the franchise’s campaign.

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Hardik Pandya himself also faced a difficult IPL 2026 season both as captain and player. The all-rounder scored 146 runs from eight innings at a strike rate of 136.44, with a highest score of 40, while taking only four wickets at an economy rate of 11.90. Despite the criticism surrounding his form and captaincy, former players and analysts have continued to debate whether Mumbai Indians’ decline stems from leadership issues alone or wider structural and performance-related problems within the squad.

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