NEW DELHI
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has defended Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya, stating it is unfair to blame him alone for the team’s poor IPL 2026 season. Mumbai has won just four out of twelve matches and is already out of the playoff race.
Ashwin emphasized that the entire squad failed to perform, making it unreasonable to target the captain. He reminded critics that Pandya successfully led Gujarat Titans to a title and a runners-up finish, proving his strong leadership skills.
Replacing a legendary captain like Rohit Sharma, who won multiple IPL trophies and a World Cup, brought immense pressure and social media backlash. Ashwin noted that handling such massive fandom requires a thick skin. He added that Mumbai’s bowling leaked heavy runs, giving the captain very little control on the field.
Pandya has faced a tough season, scoring only 146 runs and taking four wickets while battling form and fitness issues. Ashwin expressed concern over Pandya’s batting timing, wondering if a hidden physical injury, like a back problem or tennis elbow, was causing him to miss deliveries he usually hits out of the park.
Despite these struggles, Ashwin labeled Pandya a once-in-a-generation player and a vital linchpin for Indian cricket. Other star players like Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah also had quiet seasons, and both had to lead the side when Pandya missed three games due to injury. Ashwin concluded that one bad season is acceptable after Pandya’s previous international success.
