Hardik Pandya’s Captaincy Under Fire as Mumbai Indians Struggle in IPL 2025

Another IPL season has begun, but Mumbai Indians’ captain Hardik Pandya finds himself struggling again. In what is now his second stint leading MI, things have not gone as planned.

Hardik returned to the franchise in a controversial switch last year, replacing Rohit Sharma as captain. The team underperformed in 2024, and that form has carried into IPL 2025, with even the return of Jasprit Bumrah proving insufficient in their recent match on Monday.

RCB Posts a Mammoth Total

In what is often dubbed the El Clasico of the IPL, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) set a towering target of 222, scoring 221/5 in their 20 overs.

Strong performances from Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Jitesh Sharma powered their innings. Mumbai Indians’ chase got off to a rocky start, collapsing to 99/4 in 11.6 overs, following the dismissal of star batter Suryakumar Yadav (28).

Openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton also fell after scoring 17 each. No. 3 Will Jacks managed only 22 before falling to Krunal Pandya.

Tilak and Hardik Reignite the Chase

MI’s real fightback began when Tilak Varma came in and formed a crucial partnership with Hardik Pandya. After Suryakumar’s departure at the end of the 12th over, MI launched a counterattack.

In the 13th over, Tilak took charge by smashing a six and two fours off Suyash Sharma, scoring 17 runs in total. The next over, Hardik joined in with aggressive strokes.

Facing Josh Hazlewood, he hit a six, followed by a four, and then another six and four to cap off a 22-run over. After 13 and 14 overs, MI had added 39 runs, with Hardik on 20 from just five balls and Tilak on 31 off 16.

Krunal Enters, But Hardik Keeps Scoring

Patidar introduced Krunal Pandya in the 15th over, hoping spin would halt MI’s charge. But Hardik took on his elder brother, smashing him for back-to-back sixes and reaching 26 off six balls. The over cost RCB 19 runs.

By the 17th over, Tilak had reached his half-century and hit a six, taking MI to 181/4, with 41 runs needed off 18 balls.

The Twist in the Tale: Bhuvneshwar Strikes

In the 18th over, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was brought in. Hardik began strongly with a double and a four. After taking a single, Tilak faced a slower short delivery and mistimed his shot.

It landed safely in the hands of Salt at sweeper cover. Tilak departed after a well-made 56 off 29. Naman Dhir hit a six off the next ball but Bhuvneshwar ended the over strongly with a dot.

Hazlewood Removes Hardik, MI Falters

In the 19th over, Hazlewood struck immediately, removing Hardik with the first delivery. The MI captain fell for a rapid 42 off 15. Mitchell Santner hit a six and took a single, leaving MI at 203/6.

Krunal’s Magic in the Final Over

With 19 runs required off the final over, Patidar handed the ball to Krunal Pandya. In a stunning start, Krunal dismissed Santner with his first ball, caught near the boundary by David.

The next delivery saw Chahar miscue to deep midwicket, where Salt made a sharp effort and lobbed it to Tim David before stepping out.

Krunal then bowled a wide, followed by a single from Naman Dhir. Dhir hit a four next, but fell on the fifth delivery, caught at fine leg. A dot ball ended the over and the match, as RCB secured a dramatic victory — their first win at Wankhede in 10 years.

Hardik Left Stunned, Krunal Reflects on Win

Throughout the final over, the cameras kept zooming in on Hardik Pandya. His expressions shifted from hopeful to heartbroken. By the end, he sat motionless, visibly stunned, as MI’s disappointing run persisted.

After the match, Krunal addressed the emotional ending. “The bond that we (Hardik and I) have, we knew there was only one Pandya that was supposed to win, the love and affection we have for each other is very natural. He (Hardik) batted really well and I feel for him, but we (our team) won and that is most important,” he said.

Krunal credited his experience for the final over heroics, noting the conditions at Wankhede. “As a bowler, sometimes you want to commit and it is important to commit 100 percent and it helps in execution,” he added.

Despite the powerful efforts of Tilak and Hardik, it was Krunal who had the last laugh — sealing a memorable win for RCB and extending MI’s rough patch in IPL 2025.