Ravichandran Ashwin has delivered a frank verdict on Mumbai Indians after their final defeat of IPL 2026, saying the team felt strange and could struggle again unless things change.
Where the chase went wrong
Chasing 206, MI recovered briefly from a shaky start but fell away at a decisive stage, needing 60 off 34 balls. On his YouTube channel Ashwin said that at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai would normally be expected to get such a target, but this time it went wrong.
The Hardik factor
Ashwin singled out Hardik Pandya, who made a quick 34 off 15 balls. He recalled how Hardik used to bat at No. 4 or 5 for Gujarat Titans and dominate spin, but suggested he now seems to have trouble against hard-length deliveries, possibly because of fatigue or injury. Hardik was out trying to hit a short, slower ball from Jofra Archer, which Ashwin saw as the turning point.
He added that a partnership between Hardik and Suryakumar Yadav could have won the match, but they could not accelerate at the key moment.
A concerning outlook
More broadly, Ashwin called MI’s campaign strange, questioning the balance and structure of the team. Given their quality, he had expected more, and felt many players were not at their best. He said he would not be surprised to see them struggle again next season unless corrections are made.
