Hardik Pandya likely to miss more Indian Premier League matches due to back spasms, with Mumbai Indians awaiting clarity on their captain's return.
Key Points
- Hardik was not seen travelling with the squad, raising concerns over his availability.
- Ryan Rickelton said there is no clarity on the severity of the issue.
- Hardik has had a modest IPL 2026, scoring 146 runs in eight matches.
- His absence could further dent MI’s already fading playoff hopes.
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya is likely to miss more than one match of the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 due to injury.
Hardik missed their previous tie against the Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday, due to back spasms.
After missing the game against LSG, an official statement from MI read: 'Hardik Pandya is unwell with back spasms; hence, Suryakumar Yadav is captain for today's game.'
While the issue was initially not expected to sideline him for long, particularly for the upcoming fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Raipur, fresh concerns have emerged over his availability.
Notably, Hardik was absent when the squad departed for their next match, raising doubts about his immediate return.
According to a report by Cricbuzz, the all-rounder was not seen with the team at Mumbai airport on Wednesday, and there has been no clarity on whether he will join the squad later.
Uncertainty over extent of Hardik's injury
Teammate Ryan Rickelton also admitted uncertainty around Hardik’s condition.
'I don't know when he's expected to be back. I only found out this afternoon that he had back spasms. So, I'm not aware of the extent of it. I wouldn't even call it an injury-or how serious it is or what he's feeling. But I'm sure he'll be back with the group as we head to Raipur this week,' he said at the post match press conference on Monday.
Hardik’s absence comes amid a modest season for the all-rounder, who has scored 146 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 136.45, while also struggling to make an impact with the ball.
Mumbai Indians, currently languishing in ninth place with just three wins from 10 games, could face a significant setback if their captain remains unavailable for an extended period.
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