IPL 2026: Pandya pushes hard in viral training clip yet doubtful for PBKS fixture

Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya has set the internet buzzing with his solo yet viral training video, but remains doubtful for his team’s away fixture against the Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on Thursday (May 14). Recovering from a suspected back injury, which ruled him out of the previous two games (against LSG and RCB), Pandya trained for over three hours at Reliance Corporate Park on Tuesday. He uploaded his training video amid talks of a rift between him and the team management and owners over the girlfriend culture in the IPL, signalling that he is nearing full fitness.

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Although his IPL franchise has maintained that its team captain continues to recover from a back spasm, Pandya’s absence fuels rumours of not all being well within their camp, as they linger at the bottom of the points table with just three wins thus far.

Mumbai Indians reached Dharamsala from Chandigarh on Tuesday (May 12), with neither Pandya nor the stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav travelling with the squad. Although SKY might be in time for his side’s crucial away game, Pandya is unlikely to make it, casting doubts over his captaincy and place in the team. However, should the duo remain unavailable for selection for the Punjab fixture, Mumbai would likely select someone else as the stand-in captain for this IPL 2026 game.

Forgettable season for Mumbai

Mumbai Indians are chasing their first IPL title since 2020, but haven’t clicked despite having several marquee names on their team sheet. All match winners for their respective countries, the star-studded MI squad has failed to convert all into results, having lost eight matches thus far this season.

Alongside the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the Mumbai Indians have also failed to qualify for the playoffs this season.