IPL 2026 | Inside Mumbai Indians' struggles: What's hurting Hardik Pandya's men this season?

NEW DELHI: Eight matches, two wins, six defeats, four points, and a worrying net run rate of -0.784 - that sums up the plight of five-time champions Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026. Nothing seems to be going their way.

It’s a continuation of last season’s struggles. In IPL 2025, Mumbai Indians finished at the bottom of the table, managing just four wins in 14 matches while losing 10. Unfortunately for them, the story hasn’t changed much this year.

The star-studded side began their IPL 2026 campaign on a positive note, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets in their opener. However, things quickly went off track. They slipped into a losing streak, suffering four consecutive defeats against Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings.

Under mounting pressure, Mumbai bounced back in their sixth match with a dominant 99-run victory over Gujarat Titans. It looked like a turning point - but the revival was short-lived.

They followed it up with two more defeats. First, a heavy 103-run loss to Chennai Super Kings, and then a heartbreaking defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad despite posting a massive 243/5.

For a team with five IPL titles, the ongoing slump raises serious questions.

What’s going wrong for Mumbai Indians this season?

Bumrah’s struggles add to MI woes
Jasprit Bumrah is going through a rare slump in IPL 2026. Renowned for his deadly yorkers and ability to send stumps cartwheeling, the pace spearhead has struggled to make an impact this season.

Bumrah went wicketless in his first five matches and picked up his first scalp only in the sixth game against Gujarat Titans, dismissing Sai Sudharsan off the very first ball he bowled in that match.

It’s not just the lack of wickets - he has also been expensive. Young batters have taken him on, including rising sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who struck two sixes in a single over.

Bumrah also failed to step up in Mumbai Indians’ high-scoring clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite Mumbai Indians posting a daunting 243/5, he couldn’t apply the expected pressure. The fast bowler conceded 54 runs in his four overs at an economy rate of 13.50 and was hit for five sixes.

Among those who attacked him were Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, and youngster Sali Arora. Arora even produced a stunning no-look shot to send the ball over Bumrah’s head.

For a bowler who has often single-handedly won matches for Mumbai Indians, this dip in form has been significant and has contributed to the team’s struggles this season.

Surya’s lean patch continues
Suryakumar Yadav entered IPL 2026 with high expectations after leading India to T20 World Cup title win. However, his recent form has been underwhelming.

In the T20 World Cup, Surya failed to make a consistent impact with the bat. Barring an impressive 84-run knock against the USA, he struggled against most oppositions, finishing with 157 runs in seven matches. Heading into the IPL, there were expectations that he would return to his aggressive, free-flowing best in the shortest format.

But that hasn’t happened so far.

The 35-year-old is enduring one of his toughest IPL seasons in recent years, comparable to 2021 when he scored 317 runs at an average of 22.64. At a time when Mumbai Indians needed an experienced batter to step up and lead from the front, Surya has been unable to deliver.

In situations where the team needed someone to take responsibility and anchor the innings, he has struggled for runs and failed to convert starts into meaningful contributions.

So far, he has managed just 162 runs in eight matches at an average of 20.25 - a reflection of both his dip in form and Mumbai Indians’ one of the struggles this season.

No Rohit, no stability for MI
The absence of Rohit Sharma has been a major setback for Mumbai Indians this season. The star opener has missed the last four matches due to a hamstring injury and has featured in only four games so far.

Rohit, who led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles, began his IPL 2026 campaign on a strong note with a fluent 78 against Kolkata Knight Riders in a winning cause. He followed it up with scores of 35 against Delhi Capitals, 5 versus Rajasthan Royals, and an unbeaten 19 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, he struggled with his hamstring during the RCB game and had to retire hurt.

His absence has disrupted Mumbai’s starts at the top. The aggressive approach and stability he provides in the powerplay have been sorely missed.

In his absence, the team has tried multiple opening combinations. Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock managed just 12 runs for the first wicket. Against Gujarat Titans, Danish Malewar was paired with de Kock, but the duo added only 10 runs. The same combination failed again against Chennai Super Kings, putting on just 7 runs for the opening stand.

Beyond his role as an opener, Rohit’s absence has also been felt in leadership on the field. His experience in guiding captain Hardik Pandya - from field placements to tactical inputs - has been missing, further contributing to Mumbai Indians’ struggles this season.

Middle order meltdown

When openers falter, teams rely on the middle order to rebuild and provide stability with a mix of intent and resilience. For Mumbai Indians, that box has remained unchecked this season.

In the match against Delhi Capitals, where Suryakumar Yadav led in the absence of Hardik Pandya, the middle order collapse proved costly. Tilak Varma (0), Sherfane Rutherford (5), and Naman Dhir (28) failed to contribute, derailing the chase.

The rain-curtailed 11-over contest against Rajasthan Royals was another missed opportunity. After RR posted 150/3, Mumbai Indians were well in the hunt, but a poor middle-order showing resulted in a 27-run defeat.

A similar story unfolded against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Chasing a massive 240, Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir managed just one run each. Despite putting up 222 on the board, a slightly better contribution from the middle order could have taken MI over the line, but they fell short by 18 runs.

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Against Punjab Kings, the middle order again failed to capitalise on a solid start. Suryakumar Yadav (0), Hardik Pandya (14), Rutherford (1), and Tilak (8) couldn’t push the innings forward. From a position where 230-plus looked likely, MI ended at 195/6, and Punjab Kings chased it down comfortably in 16.3 overs.

The collapse was most evident in the heavy defeat to Chennai Super Kings. Chasing 207/6, MI’s top order faltered early with Quinton de Kock (7), Danish Malewar (0), and Dhir (0) falling cheaply. Suryakumar (36) and Tilak (37) attempted a recovery, but once they departed, the rest of the middle order - Pandya (1), Rutherford (0), and Shardul Thakur (6) - folded quickly, resulting in a humiliating 103-run loss.