Will Hardik Pandya Play for Mumbai Indians in RR vs MI IPL 2026?

Mumbai Indians (MI) had missed their captain Hardik Pandya against the Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 4, as Suryakumar Yadav had led the side in their second group stage game. However, many were worried about whether the star all-rounder will be back in action for the RR vs MI IPL 2026 match, scheduled to take place in Guwahati tomorrow.

In good news for the MI fans, the team’s bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, has confirmed the skipper’s availability for their next fixture against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

“Hardik Pandya will be available for tomorrow’s game. He wasn’t injured, he was unwell. He is fit and fine now,” he stated in the pre-match press conference.

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Hardik Pandya’s Return Would Boost Mumbai Indians to Stage a Comeback in RR vs MI IPL 2026

The MI skipper had leaked 39 runs in his three overs during their tournament opener against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). But in the RR vs MI clash, Hardik would want to script a strong comeback. His inclusion will also bring back the firepower in MI’s middle order, as the five-time champions are keen to be back in winning ways.

In their latest encounter facing DC, Mumbai’s batting unit were seen to struggle, following two single-digit returns from Ryan Rickelton (9) and Sherfane Rutherford (5) and a two-ball duck from Tilak Varma. Though the stand-in skipper Suryakumar (51), Naman Dhir (28), and the pair of Mitchell Santner and Corbin Bosch (16-run partnership off eight balls) had put up a decent fight in the death overs, it eventually proved not to be enough, as MI managed only 162/6.

However, RR are coming on the back of scintillating form, claiming two in two victories so far in the IPL 2026. But the last time these two sides met, an all-round display had helped MI beat the Men in Pink by a huge margin of 100 runs in Jaipur. Hardik had put up a blistering 23-ball 48 not out and scalped a wicket in his solitary over of that match and would look to replicate the heroics tomorrow in the RR vs MI fixture.

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