IPL 2026: Questions around Hardik Pandya’s fitness are bound to grow quieter after the Mumbai Indians captain shared glimpses of an intense late-night training session on Instagram. In the videos posted on his official account, Hardik looked in fine touch, confidently attacking the bowlers during a lengthy net session. The all-rounder has not featured for MI since their high-profile clash against Chennai Super Kings on May 2. He also stayed back when the first batch of Mumbai players travelled to Dharamshala ahead of the May 14 encounter against Punjab Kings. Hardik has been sidelined for the last two matches because of back spasms.
MI on Hardik’s Injury
Following Mumbai’s defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene spoke about Hardik Pandya’s condition and confirmed that the skipper is dealing with a back problem. Jayawardene added that the franchise’s medical staff is closely monitoring the all-rounder and working hard to ensure he returns to action as soon as possible.
Mahela Jayawardhane on Pandya
Mahela Jayawardene made it clear that Mumbai Indians are not prepared to rush Hardik Pandya back into action while he continues to recover from a back injury. The MI coach explained that the all-rounder had been unable to train over the past few days, with the medical staff closely monitoring his condition before taking any call on his return. Jayawardene added that the team is assessing Hardik’s fitness daily and will decide only after seeing how his body responds.
“We didn’t want to take any unnecessary risk because the issue hasn’t fully settled yet. The medical team is working with him, and we’ll continue to review things day by day before making a decision,” Jayawardene said.
MI in IPL 2026
The five-time champions have already bowed out of the Indian Premier League 2026 playoff race after managing only six points from 11 matches. At the same time, speculation over a possible fallout between Hardik and the franchise gained attention after the MI skipper unfollowed the team on social media. However, his recent training videos suggest he remains eager to return and finish the season strongly for Mumbai.
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