'Let Suryakumar Yadav lead’ – Former India opener backs captaincy change at Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2026

Former India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth has asked Hardik Pandya to give up the captaincy and let Suryakumar Yadav lead the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The five-time champions have two T20 World Cup-winning captains in their team, Suryakumar and Rohit Sharma, but Hardik has been leading the team since 2024.

MI had replaced Rohit with Hardik as captain before the 2024 season, after three seasons without a title. In the two seasons under Hardik, the team has not won the IPL, and their wait for a trophy has now reached five years.

The Mumbai-based team will once again enter the IPL 2026 season as one of the strongest teams on paper, with a star-studded lineup including Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Tilak Varma. Despite this strong squad, the five-time champions have not won the trophy since 2020.

With the new season coming and Suryakumar fresh from leading India to a T20 World Cup win, Srikkanth wants Hardik to give the captaincy to Suryakumar.

See also -MI Schedule IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians Fixtures List, Match Dates, Timing, and Venues

Why Suryakumar Yadav is being backed to captain MI

The main reason behind Srikkanth’s thinking is that Hardik Pandya’s big-heartedness will help MI solve any problems in the team that may come because of too many star players.

Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel, “It’s a funny situation. Hardik Pandya is a good captain. But yes, they have two T20 World Cup-winning captains playing under him now. It’s some internal policy in their setup that they have to sort out. From the outside, the obvious choice should be Suryakumar Yadav. But this might be a franchise policy.”

He added, “It’s a strange situation because Hardik played under Rohit and Surya to win India the World Cup. Otherwise, Hardik should himself say no to captaincy and let Surya lead. If Hardik tells the management this himself, things will get solved. He should say, ‘Let Surya lead and I’ll support.’ That is one way to solve it.”

Pressure mounts on Hardik Pandya before IPL 2026

Hardik Pandya faces growing pressure as the Mumbai Indians prepare for IPL 2026. The team has a star-studded lineup, including Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Tilak Varma, but has not won the title since 2020. With Suryakumar fresh from leading India to a T20 World Cup win, many feel he could be the right choice for captain. Fans and former players like K. Srikkanth believe Hardik should consider stepping aside and letting Surya lead, while he supports the team in a key role.

Fans react to captaincy debate at Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians fans have been actively sharing their opinions on social media about the captaincy debate. Some fans support Hardik Pandya, saying he is a strong leader and should continue as captain. Others believe Suryakumar Yadav, fresh from winning the T20 World Cup with India, should lead the team. Many fans feel that whichever decision is made, the focus should remain on teamwork and winning the IPL trophy after a long gap since 2020.

The five-time IPL champions will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign on March 29, facing Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.