Who will become the new MI captain?

Just before the IPL 2024 Auction in late 2023, Hardik Pandya was brought back to the Mumbai Indians from the Gujarat Titans via an all-cash deal with the only intention that he might replicate his GT success there and turn around the Mumbai Indians’ fortunes as well. He was even handed over the team’s command as well from Sack Rohit Sharma as captain, a move that involved replacing MI’s all-time greatest captain, who had previously led the franchise to five titles.

However, despite appointing Hardik as captain, MI’s fortunes did not turn around, and their dream of winning a sixth title has remained unfulfilled over the last three years. In 2024, the team finished at the bottom of the table, and the situation appears much the same in 2026. Despite possessing an abundance of world-class batters and bowlers, MI finds itself in a dire state. Looking at the team’s current condition, no one would be able to tell that this is a five-time champion side; the team currently looks like nothing more than a mere competitor.

According to some reports, **Hardik Pandya** could be removed from the captaincy. Consequently, the team may have to search for a new captain. In this article, we will examine the names of players who could potentially become MI’s new captain.

MI boasts a roster of exceptional players capable of taking the helm of the franchise. Prominent among these names are Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah — both of whom have previously captained the Indian national team. Under Surya’s captaincy, India recently won the 2026 T20 World Cup title. However, both players are currently struggling with their form. Given this situation, the team might once again entrust the leadership to Rohit Sharma. That said, the likelihood of Rohit agreeing to take up the captaincy is quite low.

According to certain reports, **Rohit Sharma** himself wishes for the MI captaincy to now be handed over to the young batter, Tilak Varma. Tilak Varma has been associated with the MI franchise for a considerable period and is also a key batter in Team India’s T20I squad. If the team looks at overseas players, they could entrust this role to Will Jacks or Mitchell Santner; however, MI is unlikely to consider overseas players for the captaincy.

It will be very fascinating to watch that MI franchise actually sack Hardik Pandya from captaincy, or is it just rumours? And if it is true, then who will be the next MI skipper?