Hardik Pandya trained alone in nets ahead of PBKS match© BCCI/IPL
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya, who was absent from the team’s last two matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, was spotted training alone in the nets ahead of Thursday’s match against the Punjab Kings in Dharamsala. Hardik was said to be battling back spasms, which prevented him from playing MI’s last two games. While the franchise is yet to issue an update on his availability for the match against Punjab, the all-rounder shared a video on his Instagram account, sending a clear message that he is fit to resume his on-field duties.
Mumbai Indians last featured against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 10, suffering a last-ball defeat that saw them crash out of the IPL 2026 playoffs race. Hardik did join the team ahead of the match but wasn’t deemed fit to be selected in the playing XI.
Ahead of the match against PBKS, Hardik showed clear signs of recovery, and he was seen doing batting practice in the nets.
As for the Mumbai Indians’ remaining campaign, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar has urged the franchise to give chances to youngsters in their last three matches.
“In T20 cricket, ups and downs are bound to happen. Once the season ends, that’s the right time to properly assess what went wrong. But at this stage, my view is that the senior players have given everything they had. Now, it may be the right opportunity to give younger players a chance in the remaining matches. That will help the franchise understand how these youngsters handle pressure and whether they can justify the faith shown in them,” he said in a chat on Star Sports’ ‘Amul Cricket Live’.
While the match against PBKS is a dead-rubber for MI, the Shreyas Iyer-led franchise is in desperate need of a win, having suffered four consecutive losses this campaign. For Punjab to secure a top-2 spot in the points table, a win against Mumbai is crucial.
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