New Delhi, November 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former India batter Ambati Rayudu believes Hardik Pandya should relinquish the Mumbai Indians captaincy if he wants to continue with the franchise, arguing that the all-rounder should focus on his game rather than carry leadership responsibilities.
Amid speculation over Pandya’s future ahead of the next IPL season, Rayudu reflected on the difficulties he has faced as MI captain. He suggested that the pressure surrounding Pandya may have affected his conduct and approach within the dressing room.
“In Mumbai, I just thought that Hardik felt as if he was cornered. And once you feel you’re cornered, you’re always looking over your shoulder. Once that happens in a dressing room, you tend to come out in ways that you wouldn’t want to. A lot of things didn’t go well for Hardik. It might be Hardik’s fault as well as something else,” Rayudu said on Cricbuzz.
Rayudu said Pandya could rediscover his best form by focusing on his performances and contributing as a match-winning all-rounder. He also felt that even if Pandya leaves Mumbai, he should avoid taking up captaincy for at least one season.
“From now on, if he wants to stay at MI, I don’t think he should be the captain. He should just play his game, enjoy his time, and be a match-winner for MI. But if he goes out, definitely not a captain again, at least for one season,” Rayudu said.
Discussing possible destinations for Pandya, Rayudu named Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings as franchises where the all-rounder could find a suitable environment to focus on his cricket.
“I think either Punjab or CSK, because these are the two teams he could go to, but he shouldn’t be captain. He’ll find a very good space there in terms of his cricket. But with KKR, there’s so much on the plate that he needs to assess and take things forward because they need a captain. It’s not an easy team to captain right now,” he said.
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