Talk about Mumbai Indians’ next skipper still splits opinion among analysts, even with IPL 2026 kicking off shortly. That situation exists since Suryakumar Yadav – India’s victorious T20 World Cup 2026 leader – is currently second-in-command under Hardik Pandya, although Pandya no longer captains any Indian side. Still, where Ravichandran Ashwin, ex-Test star, argued for handing control to Suryakumar, Mohammad Kaif, once a key opener for India, warned it might backfire badly.
A shift from Hardik to Suryakumar might mirror what happened when Rohit stepped down before 2024. That moment opened space for someone new to step into the role naturally. The pattern feels familiar, even if names have changed. What worked once could shape choices again now. Circumstances differ, yet the underlying rhythm remains similar. Past moves often echo in future decisions without copying them exactly.
“I don’t think that Mumbai Indians should make the same mistake again. They had a poor season after removing Rohit Sharma and bringing Hardik Pandya in. Hardik Pandya is settling in his role now. They played Qualifier 2 last year. So, Hardik Pandya did a good job as captain,” Kaif said, speaking on his YouTube channel.
Five trophies under his belt, yet Rohit lost the MI captaincy in 2024 when Hardik stepped in – fresh off guiding GT to back-to-back finals. While wearing India’s whites, Hardik had already stood beside him as vice-captain, seen by many as the next in line. Then came the shift, quiet but clear.
“Suryakumar Yadav is an option, but it should not happen like how they treated Rohit Sharma, saying now we have Hardik Pandya, who made Gujarat champions, so he will captain now. Hardik was the hot topic then, and they pushed him. Now Suryakumar Yadav is the hot topic. Next year, someone else will be the hot topic, so will you then remove Surya?” Kaif reasoned.
Mumbai Indians ended last in 2024, their debut year with Hardik leading – yet things shifted sharply by 2025. That next go-round, progress came fast, carrying them right up to Qualifier 2.
