Hardik Pandya appears set for a return to action for the Mumbai Indians after training at full intensity ahead of their IPL 2026 clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday. The Mumbai Indians skipper, who missed the team’s previous three matches because of a back spasm, looked comfortable during Monday’s practice session.
Hardik Pandya was among the first players to arrive for training and quickly became the centre of attention as he bowled at full pace and spent considerable time batting in the nets. The all-rounder last featured for the Mumbai Indians against the Chennai Super Kings on May 2 before being sidelined with the injury.
He subsequently missed MI’s trip to Dharamsala, where the team defeated the Punjab Kings by six wickets. In Hardik Pandya’s absence, Jasprit Bumrah captained the side in one match, while Suryakumar Yadav was also unavailable due to personal reasons following the birth of his child.
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Pandya also sat out games against the Lucknow Super Giants and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, despite travelling with the squad. His absence fuelled speculation over his long-term future after he was spotted speaking with Kasi Viswanathan, while reports linked him with a possible move to the Delhi Capitals.
Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders match is set to play tomorrow. All eyes on Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar yadav. Hardik Pandya is a very humble guy ❤️
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ko bhi groundsmen ke saath photo click karvate dekha hai but aage baith kar, bich me nahi https://t.co/UcWS3CVZ6L— Koooli (@koooli16) May 19, 2026
It has been a difficult IPL 2026 campaign for the MI captain. Pandya has scored just 146 runs at a strike rate of around 136 while picking up only four wickets with the ball at an expensive economy rate.
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The Mumbai Indians themselves have endured a disappointing season and are already out of playoff contention alongside the Lucknow Super Giants. The five-time IPL champions currently sit near the bottom of the table with only four wins from 12 matches. Meanwhile, the KKR camp also faces injury concerns, with Varun Chakravarthy skipping practice due to a hairline fracture and Matheesha Pathirana absent from training.
