It’s been a difficult campaign for the 5-time champions, the Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2026. The Men in Blue have blown more cold than hot and have struggled throughout. Barring a few flashes of brilliance, they have struggled against quality teams and have lost more matches than they have won. MI have to now fight out of their skins and practically win all their games to qualify for the playoffs.
From a unit not clicking as a unit, alongside the underperformance of their captain, Hardik Pandya, to possible dressing room unity and lack of it, to not playing as a team. MI looks to be in the news for all the wrong reasons. For a team that boasts of players who are match-winners of their own, this kind of performance is underwhelming to say the least. We will try to analyse what is going wrong for MI so far.
MI’s Stuttering Campaign In 2026 IPL
Mumbai Indians (MI) uniquely started IPL 2026 as they won their first match for the first time since 2012 when they chased down 221 in Mumbai against KKR, thanks to Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton’s explosive half-centuries and a 3-wicket haul for Shardul Thakur. Things looked bright for the Men in Blue, and the feeling was that this was going to be their year, and celebrations had started amongst the fans.
What followed was a brutal reality check for the Paltan One Family as they claim to be. They started going on a losing streak, losing to DC in Delhi when they had a sub-par score on the board. Then they lost to RCB in Mumbai, where they conceded 240+ runs on the board. They faced RR in Guwahati and, in an 11-over game, they conceded 150 to Yashasvi Jaiswal’s brilliance and lost that game. They then played PBKS in Mumbai, and despite Quinton de Kock’s century, MI posted less than 200, which PBKS chased down inside 16 overs.
Thereafter, they went to Ahmedabad and faced GT and for the first part of the game they were struggling, till Tilak Varma turned it on and helped MI amass close to 100 runs in the last 6 overs to post 199, before the bowlers rose to the occasion led by Ashwani Kumar’s 4-wicket haul to dismiss GT for 100 and won the contest by 99 runs as they improved their NRR to go to 7th place from 10th. The confidence was back, and every MI fan believed that the comeback had started.
Ahead of their game against CSK last night, the mood and optimism were positive as the fans reckoned that MI could bulldoze their way over CSK, who are grappling with multiple fitness issues. But the Men in Yellow came to Mumbai and put in a performance that will hurt MI a lot. CSK batted first and rode on Sanju Samson’s unbeaten ton to post 207/6 in 20 overs, which was a good score on a pitch that was slightly turning. And then, MI caved in as Akeal Hosein picked up 4/17 while Noor Ahmad picked up 2/25 as MI first lost 3/11 in power play and the 7/20 at the back-end.
In between, there was a 73-run stand for the 4th wicket between Surya and Tilak. But that partnership did not hurt or put pressure on CSK at all. It was an abysmal show, and it meant that MI’s hard work against GT went to waste, as losing by 103 runs means it’s back to square one. MI is now in 8th place while CSK are in 5th place.
MI’s Recent Performances in IPL post 2020
If MI and its fans talk about 5 trophies, well, it came till 2020. Post 2020, it has been a different story for the MI franchise. One that is average at best. MI dominated proceedings in the decade of 2010-2020. They won the first title in 2013 and then went on to win in odd years, winning in 2015, 2017, 2019, and then in 2020, the COVID year, when the tournament was held in the UAE. They had won 5 titles under the astute leadership of Rohit Sharma, and the 2020 campaign was dominant as they were head and shoulders above anyone else.
But things have gone south since that magical night in 2020. In 2021, under Rohit Sharma, MI missed out on the playoffs by a whisker, finishing in 5th place. Thereafter, Hardik Pandya left MI and went to GT and won the title for GT in 2022 itself. MI had a season to forget under Rohit, as for the first time in a 10-team tournament, they finished in 10th place, with CSK finishing just above them in 9th place.
In 2023, under Rohit again, MI bounced back from a disappointing previous season and qualified for the playoffs in the Eliminator clash. They beat LSG in the Eliminator but went down to GT in Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad. Still, it was a credible performance from MI. But then the turning point and shocking news came. Hardik Pandya was traded to MI for an undisclosed amount, while Rohit Sharma was removed as the captain.
This created shockwaves and chaos as the Mumbai crowd misbehaved and booed Hardik wherever he went. There were lots of disagreements in the group, and for the first time, there was a lack of unity in the group, and the off-field stuff took over. Talks of Rohit camp and Hardik camp started, and on the field, MI was a flop as they finished 10th in the points table once again. Hardik won over the fans with his performances for India, but things were never the same again.
In IPL 2025, MI started slowly but recovered from a precarious position to storm their way into the playoffs. But they lost crucial matches in the league stage and finished in 4th place for the Eliminator clash. In the Eliminator, they beat GT easily. Thereafter, in Qualifier 2, they posted 200+ against PBKS, but a Shreyas Iyer masterclass meant PBKS qualified for their second IPL final, while MI bowled out. But it was still a credible performance.
In this year’s IPL, MI looked like a team to beat on paper. But they have flattered to deceive. Either the bowling does well, or the batting. Both are not clicking as a unit as we speak. The reality is that MI are struggling and have yet to win a trophy since 2020. In a 10-team tournament, MI has won 0 trophies. CSK, when MI’s drought started, managed to win in 2021 and in 2023, when the Impact Player rule and 10-team tournament had started. Even KKR and RCB added titles to their kitty.
The harsh reality is that MI has a lot of work to do. They need to get over their aura status and accept reality. The reality in the current day is that they are struggling. The owners are not happy, and there are some a little bit of unity issues with unity and a lack of camaraderie in the team. MI needs to win 6 out of their remaining 7 games to make it to the playoffs. If any team can do it, it’s MI. But they aren’t giving that vibe or confidence at this stage.
Another fun fact: ever since Kieron Pollard retired from MI and became their coach, MI hasn’t won a title. It just shows the contribution of Pollard in MI’s success. Just a food for thought about their struggles. MI are up against it, but needs to address all its issues before it is too late.
What Lies Ahead
So, MI next will face SRH on Wednesday, 29th April, 2026, in Mumbai in a must-win game for them. Tonight it’s RCB vs GT in the final game in Bengaluru. Let’s see how that game unfolds later tonight.
Also Read:Â MI vs CSK: Sanju Samson & Akeal Hosein Batter MI To Submission.