It was a source of great ridicule when first announced: Mumbai Indians. What does that name even try to convey? As if the other teams in the Indian Premier League were owned by entities from Korea or Italy. As the name was used more and more, it became normalised to the point that it did not feel awkward rolling off the tongue. It was so well adopted that MI had teams in other geographies, and even that did not feel wrong to those used to hearing the name over nearly two decades. Of course, it came as a shock to the system where it was implemented. And then it worked so well that the Delhi Capitals came along. Of course, everyone knew which city was India’s administrative headquarters, but how was that even a name? Same answer. But, of course, there is more to making a team than what it is called. In 2026, the Mumbai Indians were among the first to be eliminated in the race to the final four. And, this was a virtual Indian team, in reality, not name. The core of the Mumbai franchise was Hardik Pandya , Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Jasprit Bumrah, and it also included the granddaddy of Indian players, Rohit Sharma, although injury kept him out for most of the season.This core was also the backbone of the team that won the ICC T20 World Cup, just 20 days before the IPL began, except for Rohit. When Surya lifted the trophy in Ahmedabad, there was a very real sense of a group of exceptional players coming together in a common cause and not just excel Remember, when the World Cup began, there was a sense that the last 1% was missing. Against the USA, India were undercooked; they then had the bowling help out the batting to win a game, only to eventually lose a league match. But, as the roadshow travelled through India, there was a real sense of a campaign. When one stop was an international jaunt to Colombo to take on Pakistan, the cementing of a common purpose was further strengthened.By the end of the World Cup, Surya was being praised for his man management. Personally, the returns had been ordinary with the bat for Surya, but this was glossed over because he had forged a winning combination. And, some of this happened not by design: Sanju Samson coming into the mix was precipitated by Abhishek Sharma’s freakish run of ducks, illness, issues against off-spin and then the temporary unavailability of Rinku Singh. Against the top teams in the world, the Indians had come together, the whole being much greater than the sum of the parts. But, there was an intentionality of bonding then, a sense of playing for a common cause and something larger than the self. This comes organically in a World Cup because every player grows up with the ambition to achieve something for their country imprinted in their DNA. Players will stretch to a point they never thought possible, put themselves on the line without a second thought for self-preservation, and achieve glorious things. The greatest example of feel for country and patriotism-powered performance is Leander Paes. As a singles and doubles player on the ATP Tour, he had some undeniable highs, but he turned into a different beast in the Davis Cup. Paes became a force of nature, taking down players he would struggle to get past in a Grand Slam. When you look at the Mumbai Indians and the manner in which the 2026 season has panned out for them, there are shades of this. The very players who came together to lift India to glory appeared out of sorts, and there’s a very real cricket explanation for this. Surya and friends had given so much, physically, psychologically and emotionally during the World Cup, there had to be an element of fatigue coming into the IPL. But what started to happen was growing resentment among the fans. If you sat in the crowd at the Wankhede Stadium, you did not merely hear disappointment at a team not winning. You heard grumblings about captaincy and belonging, gossip about factions in the team and deep-seated questions about the need to ring in sweeping changes. The frustration is understandable. But the Mumbai Indians are a proud team with five titles under their belt. None of those players is short on motivation or the need to come together. And yet, it simply cannot be the same. Of course, had the Mumbai Indians been winning, the outside world would have glimpsed a sense of camaraderie that was perhaps only a perception. But, as IPL 2026 winds down, the Mumbai Indians are a group of superstars who could not come together as a team. And, given the nature of franchise cricket, this group may not stay together much longer.