Kieron Pollard Defends Hardik Pandya After Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 Disaster

Mumbai Indians endured a disastrous IPL 2026 campaign, ending their season with a 30-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals and finishing ninth on the points table with just eight points from 14 matches. One of the biggest talking points throughout the season was Hardik Pandya’s captaincy, which came under intense scrutiny as MI failed to find consistency and momentum.

Despite the criticism, MI batting coach Kieron Pollard strongly backed Hardik’s leadership, insisting that the all-rounder gave everything he could for the franchise. Speaking after the loss, Pollard admitted that the season had not unfolded as the management or Hardik would have hoped, but stressed that the entire group shared responsibility for the poor campaign.

Kieron Pollard Backs Hardik Pandya Despite Tough IPL 2026 Season

“From a leadership perspective on Hardik, yes, it has not gone maybe as well as he would have wanted as an individual. It might not have gone as we would have wanted as a management staff. But one thing you know is that we have tried each and everything to give the best opportunity to lead the franchise, to do well,” Pollard said during the post-match press conference.

Pollard also emphasized that the team’s struggles should not be blamed on one individual. “No one is going to sit here and point fingers. When you lose, you have to look at it collectively. He was trying, we all were trying, and it just didn’t work out for us,” he added. The former MI star hinted that the franchise would review the season internally before deciding the best way forward ahead of IPL 2027.

Reflecting on the campaign, Pollard described IPL 2026 as a season filled with “what-ifs,” admitting that Mumbai failed to capitalize on momentum at crucial stages. He acknowledged that MI ultimately finished where they deserved based on the quality of cricket they played across the tournament. The five-time champions also struggled with squad disruptions, including delayed availability of Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner’s early departure, and Quinton de Kock’s injury issues.

However, Pollard rejected suggestions that the team lacked experience in overseas batting. He pointed to players like Quinton de Kock, Sherfane Rutherford, and Will Jacks as quality options within the squad. According to Pollard, the biggest issue was Mumbai’s inability to perform in key moments during matches. MI have now gone six consecutive seasons without winning the IPL title, marking their longest trophy drought in franchise history, surpassing the gap between 2008 and 2012.