Hardik Pandya has eased some fitness concerns after sharing videos of himself batting in the nets on social media, offering a positive sign for the Mumbai Indians amid a difficult IPL 2026 campaign. The MI captain has missed the franchise’s last two matches due to a back issue, with the five-time champions already eliminated from the playoff race after a disappointing season.
Pandya’s latest Instagram stories showed him training comfortably in the nets, hinting that his recovery is progressing well. However, uncertainty still surrounds his immediate availability. Reports suggest the all-rounder has not travelled with the Mumbai Indians squad for their upcoming clash against the Punjab Kings in Dharamsala, although there remains a possibility of him joining the team later.
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In Pandya’s absence, Suryakumar Yadav has stepped in as captain. MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene had earlier confirmed that the Indian all-rounder was struggling with a back problem serious enough to keep him away from training sessions.
Hardik pandya practicing in the nets. He just put a stop on alll the rumours 🌚 pic.twitter.com/AjG8Fg9gW9
— Gagan Choudhary (@trigguuuu) May 12, 2026
“Hardik had a back issue which we were trying to rectify, but it hasn’t settled in yet. The medical team has been working on him, and we didn’t want to take any risks,” Mahela Jayawardene explained after Mumbai’s defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
It has been a challenging season both for the Mumbai Indians and Pandya personally. Across eight matches in IPL 2026, the all-rounder has scored 146 runs at a strike rate of 136.44 while also taking only four wickets at an expensive economy rate of 11.9.
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Mumbai Indians currently sit ninth on the points table with just six points from 11 games. After reaching the playoffs last season, MI’s dramatic decline this year has raised serious questions around form, fitness and overall team balance heading into the final phase of the tournament.
