All well between Hardik Pandya and Mumbai Indians? MI all-rounder shares update

The dismal IPL 2026 campaign of the Mumbai Indians has led to unending speculation about the future of Hardik Pandya. There have been questions about his fitness, form, captaincy and even his place in the franchise for weeks now. However, MI’s six-wicket win over Punjab Kings in Dharamsala saw veteran all-rounder Shardul Thakur answering the chatter and dropping a strong hint that all is still well between Hardik and the five-time champions.

Hardik missed MI’s clash against PBKS due to back spasms, with Jasprit Bumrah stepping in as captain. It was already the third game the MI skipper has missed this season. However, Hardik was seen training for hours as well. adding fuel to rumours surrounding his future. But Shardul made it clear that not everything being discussed publicly reflects reality.

“There is a lot of chatter on social media. Some are true and some are false. But only the team management decides in the end,” Shardul said during the post-match press conference.

“If we talk specifically about Hardik Pandya, he had an injury and he did not travel with the team. He travelled to Raipur, but he was not able to play there. He is now in Mumbai training. I am expecting him to return to action in Kolkata and play the game,” Shardul said.

“We always miss a player of his calibre when he doesn’t play.” Hardik’s absence has been felt, even though MI are already out of the playoff race. The franchise has endured one of its poorest seasons in recent years, with several senior players failing. MI’s win-loss ratio is worst in the IPL since 2024.