The Mumbai Indians (MI) are struggling in the IPL 2026 season, having secured only one victory in five matches, leaving them second from the bottom of the points table. Their latest defeat came at home against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), marking their fourth loss of the season. Former India batter Manoj Tiwary has publicly criticized MI captain Hardik Pandya, stating that his leadership has been lacking since he took over. Tiwary emphasized that Pandya should consider stepping down and returning the captaincy to Rohit Sharma, who led MI to five IPL titles from 2013 to 2023. Tiwary pointed out that the lack of success in recent years, including no trophies in 2023 and 2024, indicates a need for a leadership change. He also criticized Pandya's tactical decisions, particularly his choice to promote himself in the batting order over Sherfane Rutherford and his decision to open the bowling with Deepak Chahar, who has struggled recently. Tiwary believes that these decisions reflect a weak captaincy and that proactive leadership is essential for the team's success.