IPL 2026: Can Mumbai Indians end title drought? Captain Hardik Pandya sure has the squad to deliver | Cricket News
4 min readMumbaiUpdated: Mar 28, 2026 09:07 PM IST For a franchise that measures success in trophies, the gap since winning the IPL last in 2020 has stretched longer than the Mumbai Indians would have liked. In those years, they have often looked like a side in transition – searching for identity, juggling combinations, and at times carrying imbalance. As they head into their IPL 2026 opener against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, this version of MI feels different. Not louder or more glamorous, but more complete. And that might be exactly what Hardik Pandya needs to lead the side towards ending a five-season drought. Hardik’s captaincy numbers still need work – 13 wins in 29 matches – but he did guide MI to the playoffs last year. This season feels like a chance to go a step further, especially with a squad that finally gives him control over games that have often slipped away. The batting reflects that shift. Rohit Sharma remains the anchor, but he’s no longer carrying the burden alone. With …


