Former India chief selector K Srikkanth has suggested that Hardik Pandya should relinquish the Mumbai Indians (MI) captaincy in IPL 2026 in favor of Suryakumar Yadav. Srikkanth’s comments follow Surya’s leadership in India’s historic 3rd T20 World Cup triumph earlier this month.
Pandya became MI captain in IPL 2024 after being traded from Gujarat Titans, replacing Rohit Sharma—a move that divided fans. While he has grown as a leader, MI finished 10th in 2024 and 4th in 2025.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth said, “It’s a strange situation as Hardik played under Rohit and Surya to win India the World Cup. Otherwise, Hardik should himself say no to captaincy and allow Surya to lead. If Hardik himself says this to the management, things will get resolved. He should say, ‘Let Surya lead and I’ll support’. That’s one way of solving it.”
Srikkanth emphasized that Pandya playing under T20 World Cup-winning captains Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav could benefit MI. Surya’s recent form and leadership credentials make him a natural choice for the top role.
MI’s IPL 2026 schedule:
- 29 March: MI vs KKR, Mumbai, 7.30 PM IST
- 4 April: DC vs MI, Delhi, 3.30 PM IST
- 7 April: RR vs MI, Guwahati, 7.30 PM IST
- 12 April: MI vs CSK, Mumbai, 7.30 PM IST
