Suryakumar Yadav has sparked speculation about his future with Mumbai Indians (MI) after removing the franchise-related pictures from his Instagram profile. The star batter deleted several posts, leading fans to question whether his long association with the five-time IPL champions could be coming to an end.
It was noticed on Monday following MI’s disappointing IPL 2026 campaign. Fans also pointed out that Suryakumar does not follow MI or captain Hardik Pandya on Instagram. At the time of writing, the only Mumbai Indians-related image visible on his profile is a photo featuring him alongside Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni.
Mumbai Indians’ Poor IPL 2026 Campaign Fuels Exit Speculation
The recent social media activity has increased speculation about Suryakumar Yadav’s future with Mumbai Indians. Since joining the franchise from Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018, he has been one of the team’s most important players and played a key role in several successful seasons.
Mumbai Indians endured a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign under Hardik Pandya. The team finished ninth in the points table after winning only four of their 14 league matches. They ended the season with eight points and a net run rate of -0.584.
Mumbai became the first team to be knocked out of the tournament after a two-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 10, 2026. Ryan Rickelton finished as the team’s highest run-scorer with 448 runs, while Allah Ghazanfar led the bowling charts with 15 wickets.
Poor IPL 2026 Season Raises Questions Over Suryakumar Yadav’s Future
Suryakumar Yadav endured a disappointing IPL 2026 season for Mumbai Indians, leading to questions about his long-term role in the franchise. The star batter struggled for consistency and failed to make a major impact in several important matches.
He scored 270 runs in 13 innings at an average of 20.77 and a strike rate of 147.54. His best performances came against Delhi Capitals (DC) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), where he scored 51 and 60 respectively. However, he managed only two half-centuries throughout the season.
Apart from his two fifties, his 2026 campaign was filled with low scores, including a golden duck against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 10. His poor form played a part in Mumbai Indians’ disappointing season.
Ravichandran Ashwin Backs Suryakumar Yadav After T20I Snub
Ravichandran Ashwin has come out in support of Suryakumar Yadav following his removal from India’s T20I setup. The veteran spinner believes Suryakumar’s leadership during India’s T20 World Cup-winning campaign was not given enough recognition by the selectors.
“He didn’t have the greatest of World Cups as a batter, but surely, just like everyone else in the team – the coach, the vice-captain, the best-performing batter, the best-performing bowler – he’s also been the best-performing skipper, right? He’s played his part.”
Ashwin’s comments came after the selectors replaced Suryakumar Yadav with Shreyas Iyer in the T20I side. The decision also saw Suryakumar lose his leadership role and his place in the squad, leaving him with a major challenge to revive his international career.
