Mumbai Indians could be without their captain Hardik Pandya for a crucial IPL 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, scheduled for May 10 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. According to reports, Pandya did not travel with the MI squad from Mumbai, raising doubts over his availability for this must-win encounter.

The development comes after Pandya missed Mumbai’s previous game against Lucknow Super Giants due to a back spasm. In his absence, Suryakumar Yadav stepped in as stand-in captain, with the franchise confirming his unavailability shortly before the match.

“Hardik Pandya is unwell with back spasm, hence Suryakumar Yadav is captain for today’s game,” MI had stated ahead of the fixture on May 4.

While there is no official confirmation yet on whether Pandya will join the squad later, his absence at departure has intensified speculation. Given the timing, the Mumbai Indians may once again have to rely on Suryakumar’s leadership if their regular skipper fails to recover in time.

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BREAKING: Hardik Pandya is not travelling with MI team to Raipur. As players assemble at Terminal 1 in Mumbai, Pandya is conspicuous by absence. MI insist that his absence is due to back spams that kept the skipper out of May 4 home game vs LSG @mipaltan @IPL More on @cricbuzz

— Vijay Tagore (@vijaymirror) May 6, 2026

Pandya’s potential absence adds to MI’s concerns in what has already been a challenging IPL 2026 campaign. The all-rounder has struggled to make a significant impact this season, both with the bat and ball. In eight matches, he has scored 146 runs at an average of 20.86 and a strike rate of 136.44. His bowling returns have also been underwhelming, with just four wickets at an economy rate nearing 12 runs per over.

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Mumbai Indians find themselves in a precarious position on the points table, with just six points from 10 matches. The equation is simple but demanding — they must win all their remaining games to stay alive in the playoff race. Even then, qualification will depend on other results.

The upcoming clash against RCB is effectively a knockout game for MI. Without their captain, and with form issues lingering, the five-time champions face a stern test as they attempt to keep their IPL 2026 hopes alive.