IPL 2026: Will MI Skipper Hardik Pandya Play Against PBKS? Solo Practice Session Goes Viral (WATCH)

MI skipper Hardik Pandya, who missed a match due to a back spasm, was seen training alone in Mumbai while the rest of the team travelled for their next game. This solo session has fueled widespread speculation about his fitness and a possible rift within the Mumbai Indians camp.

MI Captain Hardik Pandya (File Photo)

Image Credit: ANI

Amid the uncertainty over his further participation in the IPL 2026, the Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya returned to the nets and had a solo practice in Mumbai on Tuesday evening, May 12. Hardik didn’t feature in the match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Raipur due to a back spasm.

Though he joined the MI squad separately in Raipur after missing the initial team flight on May 6, Hardik Pandya was eventually left out of the playing XI for the clash against the RCB on May 10, as he wasn’t cleared by the franchise’s medical team to take the field, given the persistent nature of his back spasms.

In the absence of Hardik, Suryakumar Yadav stepped in as captain, but the Mumbai Indians suffered a narrow two-wicket defeat, which resulted in their elimination from the race for the playoffs, marking the end of a turbulent campaign for the five-time champions.

Hardik Trains Alone in Mumbai

Following the Mumbai Indians’ defeat to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Hardik Pandya returned to Mumbai, while the rest of the squad travelled to Dharamshala for the upcoming match against the Punjab Kings on Thursday, May 14.

Taking to his Instagram story on Wednesday, the 32-year-old shared a couple of videos of a solo batting session at the Jio Stadium or Reliance Corporate Park in Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, with the net bowlers, appearing to be in fine touch as he played his signature lofted drives and moving with zero visible discomfort.

The video of the solo batting session in Mumbai quickly went viral on social media, as the rest of the MI squad prepares for the upcoming match against the PBKS in Dharmashala, sparking a fresh wave of speculation about the internal environment within the MI camp.

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Under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, the Mumbai Indians have endured a disappointing campaign as they were the second team to be eliminated from the tournament shortly after the Lucknow Super Giants suffered the same fate following their defeat to the Chennai Super Kings.

Hardik captained MI in nine matches of the IPL 2026 and managed to secure only three victories, leaving the franchise languishing at the bottom half of the table for the majority of the season.

Will Hardik Pandya Return to Action for the PBKS?

Right after the match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Hardik Pandya, stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav, who was recently blessed with a baby girl, and a few other players returned to Mumbai, while the rest of the squad travelled to Dharamshala for the match against the Punjab Kings on Tuesday afternoon, May 12.

According to the report by Times of India (TOI), Hardik Pandya had an intense batting session in the nets, training for over three hours under the watchful eyes of specialised net bowlers at the Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai. This extended nets session, coupled with fluent shot-making, has left fans wondering if the skipper is physically fit enough to rejoin the playing XI.

Though Hardik Pandya returned to training amid reports of a back spasm, the MI skipper is unlikely to link up with the Mumbai Indians’ squad, as the match is scheduled to take place at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala in less than 24 hours. Given the significant time travel and franchise’s cautious approach to his recovery, it appears that Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side again.

However, the rumours and speculations of a rift within the Mumbai Indians’ camp have reached a fever pitch following Pandya’s solo training stint. It remains to be seen whether the 32-year-old will rejoin the squad for their final league matches or if this private session at the Jio Stadium signals an early end to his participation in the 2026 season.