IPL 2026 | 'Mentally stressed' Hardik Pandya is 'done' with Mumbai Indians

New Delhi: "Mentally stressed and completely exhausted" after what has been a disastrous IPL, Mumbai Indians' under-fire captain Hardik Pandya is set to quit the franchise and had conveyed this to the team management mid-season, a top tournament source told PTI on Friday.

The 32-year-old Pandya, who took over the leadership in 2024 replacing Rohit Sharma, informed the Mumbai Indians management about leaving the franchise weeks before the team's disastrous IPL campaign ended.

Once the play-off hopes were dashed with quite a few games still left, it is learnt that both Pandya and MI reached an understanding on mutually parting ways.

"Hardik was mentally stressed and completely exhausted. He had also sustained a back injury. In fact, once the play-off hopes were dashed, Hardik informed the decision-makers that he wouldn't be staying back," an IPL source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"Please understand that Hardik is only 32. He returned to MI in 2024 when he was 30. He was booed in the first year and this season too things didn't go according to plan," the source added referring to the change of guard in which the hugely popular Rohit was replaced as captain.

MI Fans had repeatedly booed Pandya during the games in the past two seasons and the all-rounder, despite seeming visibly affected by the heckling, maintained that "it has been a difficult but entertaining journey".

The IPL source said, his patience has finally run out.

"There is only so much that a young man can take. The last three years haven't been easy for him. The MI dressing room that he had left in 2021 wasn't the same when he returned in 2024. Not every senior player was on the same page.

"If results come despite divergent views, you still won't feel frustrated. But when everyone pulls in different directions, after a point you don't have the mental bandwidth to carry on. So, Hardik had decided mid-season that he wouldn't be part of MI next season," the source further said.

According to people privy to the developments, what hurt Pandya immensely was the fact that senior players, who demanded 100 per cent commitment when he played T20Is for India, were not exactly returning the favour when he was in-charge of the franchise.

It is, however, not clear whether Pandya is looking at a trade deal with another team or would prefer to enter the auction pool.

"One thing is for sure. He is done with MI. Closer to August, one might get some indication about what his next move will be." For someone who feels mentally drained, Chennai Super Kings wouldn't be a bad option in case of a trade.

MI's next captain

Mumbai Indians will need to start with a clean slate ahead of the 2027 mega auction, but before that there is still another IPL edition to navigate.

It will be interesting to see whether MI opts for a short-term solution or focuses on the bigger picture.

For the short term, there is no better skipper than Rohit Sharma, their five-time IPL-winning captain and still the biggest name in that dressing room.

For transition, his protege Tilak Varma, who is also on the radar of the national selectors, could be appointed his deputy.

It is an open secret that the 2027 World Cup is Rohit's final frontier and, therefore, the IPL could also be his final season in the franchise ecosystem.

But whether MI would be willing to take a step back remains the big question.

Otherwise, the best solution would be to make Tilak the new skipper and persist with him for at least three seasons while building a fresh squad around him.