Mumbai: Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will have new captains next season after a disappointing IPL 2026.
Mumbai and Lucknow, having lost 10 of their 14 matches, finished ninth and last, respectively.
Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who was brought on board by LSG for a record Rs 27 crore price ahead of the 2025 edition of IPL, has stepped down as captain.
Hardik Pandya, on the other hand, has decided to leave the Mumbai Indians franchise as he is “mentally stressed and completely exhausted” after a disastrous season, PTI reported citing a top source.
The 32-year-old Pandya, who was brought back by Mumbai Indians for a second stint and took over the leadership in 2024 replacing Rohit Sharma, informed the franchise about his decision after the team’s play-off hopes were dashed.
“Hardik was mentally stressed and completely exhausted. He had also sustained a back injury. In fact, once the play-off hopes were dashed, Hardik informed the decision-makers that he wouldn’t be staying back,” an IPL source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Pandya was reportedly hurt that senior players, who demanded 100 per cent commitment when he played T20Is for India, were not exactly returning the favour when he was in charge of the franchise.
Over the last two seasons, the flamboyant allrounder was repeatedly booed by fans who were upset about Pandya’s captaincy role at Rohit’s expense. His patience with MI seems to have run out.
As for Pant, he requested the franchise to relieve him of leadership duties, and the franchise accepted it with immediate effect.
“Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) wish to formally announce that Rishabh Pant has requested to be relieved of his captaincy duties with the franchise, and the franchisee has accepted his request with immediate effect,” LSG said in a statement.
LSG Director of Cricket Tom Moody said Pant had approached the franchise with this request. “We have respectfully accepted it. These decisions are never easy. We are grateful for everything Rishabh has brought to this dressing room as captain. Our focus now is on the collective — rebuilding and restructuring to reach the best standards,” former Aussie allrounder Moody said.
Pant has had a forgettable stint at Lucknow. In his first season with the team as a Rs 27-crore player, LSG managed to win just 6 out of 14 league matches. He didn’t do well as a batter also, aggregating 269 runs in 13 innings.
The 2026 season was no better. LSG won no more than 4 games and Pant scored 312 runs in 13 innings.
