Mumbai Indians came into IPL 2025 with a superstar-studded team — Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Trent Boult, and Santner.
Despite having so many match-winners, MI couldn’t make it to the finals this season.
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Their loss in the playoffs triggered a lot of debate on social media, especially about captaincy and Hardik Pandya’s role in the team.
Rohit Sharma, the five-time IPL-winning captain, was on the field leading the team. His calm and experience have been vital for MI over the years.
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Many fans praised Rohit’s leadership and reminded others that most of the big trophies MI won were under his captaincy. His presence is always a big boost for Mumbai Indians.
But Hardik Pandya’s captaincy this season got a lot of flak despite him being one of MI’s premier all-rounders.
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Social media users pointed out that while Hardik did well in parts of the season, his captaincy in crunch situations, especially in the playoffs, was questioned.
MI failed to defend 204 in the qualifier with high economy rates and questionable bowling changes.
Fans also felt that important bowlers like Santner didn’t get enough chances in the middle overs.
Hardik’s on-field decisions, including substituting Rohit as an impact player, and his body language during the loss were widely discussed.
Some called him a “waterboy” hiding behind stars like Rohit, Bumrah, and Surya, and blamed him for MI’s failure to win the IPL this year.
However, there were a few toxic trolls who smelled a conspiracy — that Rohit Sharma’s supporters in the team wanted to humiliate Hardik Pandya and not allow him to win an IPL trophy, especially after Rohit Sharma was ousted as Mumbai Indians’ captain. They wanted to prove that MI can only win when Rohit Sharma is the captain.
On the other hand, there were fans who appreciated Hardik’s efforts in balancing the team and taking them to the playoffs after a rocky start.
They said captaincy is a learning curve and Hardik showed promise by leading in tough situations with some smart plays.
This season shows that even with a team full of match-winners like Bumrah (arguably the best fast bowler), Suryakumar Yadav (top T20 batter), Hardik (all-rounder), Santner (best left-arm spinner), and Trent Boult (highest first-over wicket-taker), winning the IPL is never easy. Strong captaincy and smart tactics at the right moments make the difference.
For Mumbai Indians, Rohit Sharma’s leadership is a rock, but the pressure on Hardik Pandya as captain will only grow. He will have to learn from this and come back stronger next season.
Social media debates are just a reflection of fans’ passion and expectations, but cricket is a team game, and every player has to share the responsibility.
MI has the talent but needs the right combination of leadership and execution to win the IPL again.
Rohit’s role as captain is key, and Hardik’s journey as a captain is just beginning. Fans wait for MI to come back stronger.
