Manoj Tiwary has urged Mumbai Indians to reconsider their leadership decisions and propose reinstating Rohit Sharma as captain following a lackluster IPL 2026 performance. The former India batsman criticized Hardik Pandya’s leadership, attributing the team’s struggles this season to his captaincy.
The scrutiny surrounding Hardik has heightened due to Mumbai’s poor start, securing only one victory in five matches and descending towards the bottom of the points table. The defeat to Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings on April 16 extended Mumbai Indians’ losing streak to four matches.
Tiwary emphasized the need for introspection, stating, “You need to see how you have been playing.” He highlighted Rohit Sharma’s instrumental role in Mumbai Indians’ success from 2015 to 2023, questioning the decision to remove him as captain.
Comparing leadership styles, Tiwary praised Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy while expressing concerns about Mumbai Indians’ current leadership. He suggested that Hardik should relinquish the captaincy in favor of Rohit to address the team’s performance issues.
Despite criticisms directed at Pandya, head coach Mahela Jayawardene rejected placing sole blame on him for the team’s struggles. Jayawardene emphasized a collective responsibility among the management to improve the team’s performance.
Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 campaign has been disappointing, with four losses in five matches and a struggling bowling unit. Pandya’s individual performance and the team’s collective efforts have fallen short, increasing pressure on the franchise to rectify their performance swiftly.