Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has urged the Mumbai Indians management to consider a major leadership shake-up after their disappointing IPL 2026 campaign ended in playoff elimination. Following MI’s heartbreaking last-ball defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Manjrekar suggested that Jasprit Bumrah could be the ideal candidate to take over the captaincy from Hardik Pandya.

Mumbai Indians have endured a difficult season, winning only three matches and struggling for consistency in all three departments. With Hardik Pandya’s leadership coming under increasing scrutiny, Manjrekar backed Bumrah’s cricketing intelligence and tactical awareness as qualities that could make him a strong captain for both franchise and country.

“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,” Sanjay Manjrekar told Sportstar.

ALSO READ: Rahul Dravid Becomes Owner Of Dublin Franchise In New European T20 League

The former Mumbai batter also felt that MI may have gone wrong by not building the leadership structure more carefully when they brought Hardik back from the Gujarat Titans. In Manjrekar’s view, the move would have worked better if Ashish Nehra had also been part of the equation, given the success the pair enjoyed together at Gujarat.

“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,” he said.

Manjrekar further argued that giving Bumrah the captaincy in the IPL would place far less strain on him than leading India in Test cricket, where workload and fitness management are far more demanding.

ALSO READ: Axar Patel Fined For Slow Over-Rate Despite DC’s Thrilling Win Over PBKS

“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.

In Hardik’s absence during the season, Suryakumar Yadav has led the Mumbai Indians side.