3 reasons why Mumbai Indians faltered in IPL 2026
What's the story
Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) were among the first sides to be knocked out of the IPL 2026 playoff race. After winning their opener against Kolkata Knight Riders, MI's campaign went south. From untimely injuries to out-of-form players, the Hardik Pandya-led side saw it all. MI will play for pride in their last three games. Here are the reasons why they faltered this season.
#1
Form of marquee players haunts MI
MI's core group couldn't display a concerted show in IPL 2026. Suryakumar Yadav, who had been MI's match-winner, owns just 195 runs from 11 games at 17.72 so far. His strike rate is also down to 144.44. Jasprit Bumrah has just three wickets from 11 games, and Hardik Pandya couldn't show his usual all-round impact. Despite scoring a ton, Tilak Varma was also inconsistent.
#2
Injuries dent MI's campaign
MI's campaign was also plagued by injuries to marquee players. Rohit Sharma missed several key fixtures and was out for nearly a month with a hamstring injury. New Zealand's Mitchell Santner was ruled out of the tournament after suffering a left shoulder injury during the Chennai Super Kings game. And captain Hardik Pandya is currently out with a back spasm.
#3
Controversial decisions cost matches
MI couldn't find a stable XII this season, though several factors contributed to it. Quinton de Kock, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Shardul Thakur were among the players to be constantly rotated. The season saw MI use more than 20 players from the roster. And skipper Hardik's decision to give youngsters the ball in crunch moments cost them matches.
Information
Breaking the jinx
MI started this season on a high note, beating KKR at Wankhede Stadium. The five-time champions finally broke the jinx, winning their IPL season opener since 2012. However, this was among the few notable moments for them.