Pollard Backs Hardik After Mumbai Indians’ Disappointing IPL 2026 Campaign

Kieron Pollard has defended Hardik Pandya’s leadership after Mumbai Indians endured a disappointing IPL 2026 season, finishing ninth after their final defeat to Rajasthan Royals.

Speaking after the loss, Pollard admitted the campaign had been filled with missed opportunities and inconsistency.

“It was a season of what-ifs,” Pollard said. “If we had done this or that differently, things could have changed. Overall, it has been disappointing for all of us as Mumbai Indians. We were unable to build momentum or string together consistent wins throughout the tournament.”

The former all-rounder said the franchise would conduct a detailed review of the season but stressed that immediate reactions would be emotional and premature.

“Right now is not the time for emotional decisions,” Pollard explained. “Everyone needs time to sit back, reflect, and assess where things went wrong. The review will be thorough because it has been a while since we last won the championship.”

Mumbai Indians, five-time IPL champions, have not lifted the trophy since 2020, increasing scrutiny on both team management and captaincy decisions.

Pollard, however, firmly rejected criticism aimed solely at Hardik Pandya.

“From a leadership perspective, things may not have gone the way Hardik wanted personally, but everyone in the franchise tried their best to support him,” he said. “No one is going to point fingers. When you lose, it’s a collective failure. We all tried, and unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”

The MI batting coach also defended the team’s retention and auction strategy despite the poor finish.

“If we go back 12 months, we finished in the top four, which justified some of the decisions made before this season,” Pollard said. “Now that we finished ninth, people want to question everything. We need to avoid that inconsistency in judgment and instead focus on improving strategically.”

Pollard also addressed concerns surrounding Jasprit Bumrah, who endured one of the leanest IPL seasons of his career. Despite maintaining an impressive economy rate of 8.37, Bumrah managed only four wickets in the campaign.

According to Pollard, the Indian pacer had been dealing with fitness concerns following the T20 World Cup.

“He came in with a bit of a niggle after the World Cup,” Pollard revealed. “We tried to manage him, and while he wasn’t at his best physically, he still tried to contribute.”

Bumrah was rested for Mumbai Indians’ final game of the season, a move Pollard described as a practical decision given the team was already out of playoff contention.

“There was no point risking him in a dead rubber,” Pollard said. “He’s a prized possession for Indian cricket, and sometimes you have to make the smarter choice.”