The Mumbai Indians (MI) have had a disappointing start to the IPL 2026 season, losing three of their first four matches. Criticism is directed at captain Hardik Pandya, with former India cricketer Sadagoppan Ramesh calling him a 'mediocre captain.' Ramesh points to several tactical blunders, particularly the decision to use Jasprit Bumrah, MI's best bowler, for two overs during the powerplay, which left him out of the contest for 60 deliveries. Additionally, Ramesh criticized Pandya's choice to bowl spinners against Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) Rajat Patidar, who has a strong record against spin bowlers. Ramesh noted that both Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav appeared to disagree with some of Pandya's decisions on the field. He emphasized that even if MI had won their last match, the glaring captaincy errors would still be a concern for the team's future prospects.