Hardik Pandya’s captaincy under scanner: Not Suryakumar Yadav! Sanjay Manjrekar wants THIS star to lead MI

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes Mumbai Indians may need to rethink their captaincy plans after another disappointing IPL campaign under Hardik Pandya. Mumbai were officially knocked out of the IPL 2026 playoff race following their defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Raipur on Sunday.

The five-time champions have struggled badly in recent seasons and have now missed the playoffs four times in the last six editions of the tournament. Mumbai currently sit near the bottom of the table after managing only three wins this season.

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Manjrekar wants Bumrah to lead Mumbai Indians

Speaking to Sportstar, Manjrekar said he would like to see Jasprit Bumrah get a chance to captain both India and Mumbai Indians because of his understanding of the game and ability to read situations.

“I’d like to see Bumrah captain India, because I don’t think anyone sees the game as well as he does. What he does with his bowling is not just about the action, it’s also about anticipation, reading the batter, reading the situation and understanding pitches. I’m just a little disappointed that he doesn’t seem interested in being captain in England. He didn’t captain when Shubman Gill was made captain. But hopefully, at least in the Indian Premier League, he should get that shot,” he said.

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‘Mumbai may have to look beyond Hardik’: Manjrekar

When asked if Mumbai should consider Bumrah as captain after another poor season, Manjrekar admitted the franchise may have to make a difficult decision regarding Hardik’s leadership.

“You actually caught what I was hinting at, because I think they might have to look beyond Hardik Pandya. Yeah, because that move certainly hasn’t worked. It’s not fair to Hardik as well. It’s like a package deal. You know, if Hardik was going to come to Mumbai, then they should have got Ashish Nehra as well with him. But Ashish won’t be with him. I’d really like to see Bumrah being given a shot because that is not as much of a burden on him as being a Test captain, where he has to stay fit and ready for every Test match,” he added.

Manjrekar jokes about Ashish Nehra factor

Manjrekar also made a cheeky remark about Ashish Nehra while discussing Hardik’s captaincy struggles at Mumbai.

Hardik enjoyed huge success with Gujarat Titans under Nehra’s coaching setup, guiding the team to back-to-back IPL finals and winning the title in their debut season in 2022.

However, since returning to Mumbai ahead of IPL 2024, Hardik has found it difficult to replicate that success. Mumbai have continued to struggle with consistency and now face another season without a playoff appearance.

Mumbai endure another disappointing IPL season

Mumbai Indians’ early exit has once again sparked debate over the team’s future and leadership setup.

While the franchise still has a few games remaining this season, focus has already shifted towards IPL 2027, with Jasprit Bumrah now being seen as a serious option for captaincy.

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