3 min learnApr 30, 2026 09:58 AM IST
Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull responded to a fan query lately the place he was requested that if Mumbai Indians had been to launch one or some gamers from their workforce who they’d retained forward of IPL 2025 when the mega auctions come round once more, he stated that in case Hardik Pandya was not captain subsequent season, he may very well be the one which MI launch.
“My level might be, who’s your captain subsequent yr? If they’ll change one thing who’s going to be the captain subsequent season. If it’s not going to be Hardik Pandya, I believe you launch him. Solely as a result of I don’t know the way he’ll go in an surroundings the place he’s underperformed, his workforce has underperformed for 3 years. And his job goes,” Doull stated in a video on Cricbuzz.
“It (dropping captaincy) may free him up. It won’t. It’d make him really feel like, I’ve failed. It might go one in every of every method. And in case you do resolve to retain, all these guys can win you tournaments. They’re terrific gamers. Hardik, when totally match, has been among the finest allrounders within the recreation and may win you video games. My level is that if he isn’t going to be captain, is he keen to take a backseat, put within the exhausting work and are available again and be simply the Hardik the nice participant once more,” he added.
Pandya hasn’t had the very best stints as MI captain with the 5-time champions ending tenth in 2024 whereas qualifying for the playoffs in 2025. They, nonetheless, misplaced to Punjab Kings within the Eliminator final yr. Within the 2026 version, MI are struggling at ninth within the desk after dropping 6 of their 8 matches with the newest defeat coming by the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday the place they did not defend a 243-run goal. Hardik himself slammed a 15-ball 1 however he has simply scored 128 runs within the 7 matches he has performed.
Ryan Rickelton’s whirlwind unbeaten ton was overshadowed by Heinrich Klaasen’s unbeaten 65 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets. Chasing an imposing 244-run goal, Travis Head (76 off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (45 off 24) shared 129 runs for the opening wicket to set the platform for SRH. Klaasen (65 not out off 30 balls) then displayed his all-round hitting talents to information SRH residence with the assistance of Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Salil Arora (30 not out off 10) in 18.4 overs.