Inside Hardik Pandya sacking: 35 times other teams crossed 70 in the powerplay, MI did it just twice; Now he pays the price

Mumbai Indians, the most decorated franchise in IPL history with five titles to their name, are staring at an uncomfortable reality check. Following a catastrophic IPL 2026 campaign just 4 wins from 14 games, a ninth-place finish, and a sixth consecutive year without lifting the trophy the franchise is preparing for a sweeping internal overhaul.The first and most consequential domino to fall is expected to be the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, a man whose relationship with this team has been as turbulent as it has been headline-grabbing.Hardik Pandyas Captaincy Under Serious ThreatAccording to The Indian Express, which spoke to at least three people within the MI setup, Pandya is almost certain to be removed as captain. Beyond the captaincy question, there are also active discussions about whether he merits a place in the playing eleven at all.ALSO READ - MI set to sack Hardik Pandya as captain; team spot not guaranteed, coaching staff says non coachable: ReportThere were enough signs during the season that the team management wasnt keen to retain him as captain. There is a clear buzz in the camp, a source from within the franchise confirmed.Dressing Room Tensions and Questions Over CoachabilityThe immediate trigger for what appears to be an irreparable breakdown came at the end of MIs final league game of the season against Rajasthan Royals.

The coaching staff called a team meeting and delivered a pointed message to senior players one that cut right to the heart of why this squad, packed with recognisable and proven names, consistently underperformed.The crux of the message was accountability and coachability.The coaching staff was very clear in their message to the senior players that wherever they play, they need to be coachable. There were many instances where the coaching staff recommended something which was backed by data but players didnt follow it, revealed a source close to the situation.Data Ignored? Inside MIs Growing Tactical DivideThis is a damaging admission for a franchise of MIs stature. It implies not just poor form, but a fundamental disconnect between strategy and execution a dressing room where decisions informed by analytics were being overridden, or simply ignored, by those wielding influence on the field.Whether Pandya was the primary figure at the centre of this friction or merely one of several senior players involved remains unclear.

But as captain, the responsibility stops with him.There will be serious introspection and discussion in the coming days. Every option would be weighed. Many questions need to be addressed. Going ahead, can Hardik be the captain?

Does he stay in the team just as a player? said an MI old-timer.Mumbai Indians Left Behind by the Evolution of T20 CricketStrip away the personalities and the politics, and the most sobering part of MIs 2026 collapse is structural. They were not merely beaten they were outmoded. The IPL 2026 season will be remembered as the year T20 powerplay batting was permanently redefined. For the first time in the tournaments history, the league average powerplay run rate crossed 10 runs per over.Mumbai Indians averaged just 8.5 to 9 runs per over in the powerplay, a figure that now looks hopelessly behind the curve.The Powerplay Problem That Defined MIs SeasonThe numbers elsewhere were staggering.

Punjab Kings hammered 116/0 in the powerplay against Delhi Capitals. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders also crossed the 100-run mark inside six overs during the season.Collectively, teams other than MI achieved 70-plus powerplay scores on more than 35 occasions. Mumbai Indians managed it just twice across the entire tournament.While Rivals Reinvented Themselves, MI Stood StillThe individual brilliance on display around MI only deepened the contrast. Lucknow Super Giants Josh Inglis dismantled CSKs bowling with 77 runs off just 25 balls strictly within the powerplay.

Rajasthan Royals teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck at 231.18 in powerplay overs and smashed 37 sixes during that phase alone. These were not isolated performances. They represented the new direction of T20 cricket a direction MI struggled to embrace.Numbers That Expose Mumbai Indians DeclineMIs best powerplay performer, Ryan Rickelton, struck at 186.66 during the powerplay. In previous seasons, that number would have ranked among the elite.

In IPL 2026, it was not enough. Rickelton finished 17th among the tournaments highest run-scorers, while leg-spinner Allah Ghazanfar ended 14th among wicket-takers.For a squad packed with international stars, those rankings are difficult to justify. The league average for wickets lost also revealed a growing trend: teams were willing to sacrifice wickets in pursuit of explosive starts.MI neither attacked aggressively enough nor preserved wickets effectively. They suffered the worst of both worlds.As one source inside the franchise bluntly admitted:We havent been able to use the Powerplay like some of the more successful teams this IPL.

We havent moved with the times.