Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya continued his individual training regimen in Mumbai on Tuesday, staying behind as the team departed for Dharamsala to face Punjab Kings in an IPL 2026 fixture. Late that night, Pandya posted videos on his Instagram stories, capturing his batting sessions in the nets against throwdown specialists and local net bowlers.
Pandya has missed Mumbai Indians’ last two matches due to a back spasm. He did not travel with the squad, which arrived in Dharamsala on Monday afternoon, leaving uncertainty about his participation in the upcoming clash against Punjab Kings. It remains unclear if the all-rounder will link up with the team later.
The star player had also arrived late for Mumbai Indians’ recent match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Raipur but was ruled out of playing. The franchise confirmed at the time that “Hardik has not been cleared by the medical team to take the field.”
Pandya’s injury is still under assessment by the support staff in Mumbai. His situation adds to the challenges for a Mumbai Indians side that has endured a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign, becoming one of the first teams eliminated from playoff contention. Pandya’s personal form has also drawn scrutiny, with the captain amassing 146 runs and taking just four wickets so far this season.
ALSO READ : IPL 2026: Batter Urvil Patel’s Rising Stardom
Suryakumar Yadav, who has led the team in Pandya’s absence, was also absent from the traveling party to Dharamsala for personal reasons following the birth of his child. The India T20I captain is expected to join the squad in Dharamsala later.
In the wake of Mumbai Indians’ narrow two-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, which officially ended their playoff hopes, head coach Mahela Jayawardene offered a blunt assessment of the season. The five-time champions’ campaign fell short of expectations despite occasional strong showings.
“Yeah, I mean, the season, it’s disappointing,” Jayawardene said. “We’ve had our opportunities. We were not good enough. We were not consistent enough with the ball, with the bat, and that showed the margins.”
Pandya’s isolation training underscores the franchise’s cautious approach to his recovery as the team navigates the final stretch of a challenging season.