Hardik Pandya ruled out? Mumbai Indians shares latest update ahead of RR vs MI IPL 2026 clash

Hardik Pandya is all set to make a return in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026). Ahead of the Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians (RR vs MI) match, MI shared a specially edited video of their skipper batting in the nets. 

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya missed their previous match against the Delhi Capitals on April 4. Suryakumar Yadav was the stand-in captain during the absence of the regular skipper. With Pandya, Mumbai lost against Delhi by 6 wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Will Hardik Pandya play against the Rajasthan Royals?

MI, as well as the Indian cricket fans, were worried about the pace-bowling all-rounder’s fitness, as in the ongoing season, multiple teams have been dealing with injuries. Pandya is a key member for both Mumbai and Team India because of his impactful batting and seam bowling skills. Pandya’s presence helps the team management to maintain a balance in the playing combinations.

Ahead of the DC vs MI match, the Mumbai Indians arranged two training sessions for preparations, and Hardik was reportedly missing both. At the toss of the match number 8 of the IPL 2026, the stand-in captain informed that Pandya was not fit for the match.

“He's not well, doesn't look good, so he was not fit for today's game. So, just getting into his shoes today,” Yadav said at the toss.

Read More: Natasa Stankovic visits Hardik Pandya’s family in Vadodara amid IPL 2026 health concerns

Why did Hardik Panyda miss the previous match?

Later, according to a Times of India report, “Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya missed the clash against the Delhi Daredevils due to a viral, but he is set to return for the five-time champions' away clash against the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Tuesday. Pandya travelled with the rest of the team right after the afternoon game in Delhi, and will resume training after staying away from action for the last few days.”

If all the available reports and information are to be believed, then Pandya is all set to feature in the Mumbai Indians’ upcoming fixture against the Rajasthan Royals, which will be on April 7 at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. 

So far, MI has one win and one defeat after playing two IPL 2026 games. Despite some individual brilliance, the team has yet to show its best. The video shared by the franchise shows a glimpse of Hardik Pandya’s batting in the nets.

Fans' reactions to the latest video shared by MI

However, some fans are not happy with the post, suggesting that the team’s priority should be winning matches rather than sharing videos on social media platforms.

“Is Hardik Pandya really a leader, or is he just a product of a very desperate MI marketing strategy?” one of the fans on ‘X’ wrote. “MI posting edits while RCB is posting 250s. different priorities,” another comment reads.