Following four consecutive defeats in the IPL 2026, former cricketer Manoj Tiwari has suggested struggling MI skipper Hardik Pandya to ‘rest’ and to hand over the reins to Rohit Sharma.
Tiwary went on to cite weak ‘leadership’ and team disunity as major concerns calling for a return to the successful formula under Robot Sharma.
Manoj Tiwary explicitly told in his media interaction that “Hardik should step back from the captaincy and hand the responsibility back to Rohit” to fix the team’s ongoing issues.
Former India batter Sadagoppan Ramesh also criticized Hardik’s tactical decisions, branding him a “mediocre captain” after questioning his usage of bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and the timing of bringing on spinners.
Mumbai Indians have suffered a dismal start in the 2026 season, losing four out of their first five matches.
Observations suggest a lack of cohesion, with reports mentioning “disagreements” and a disjointed atmosphere within the team.
This demand follows intense scrutiny over Hardik Pandya’s leadership, with some observers suggesting his captaincy has caused a dip in the team’s overall morale and performance.
News Edit KV Raman
