The injury concerns around Hardik Pandya continue to grow after the Mumbai Indians skipper did not travel with the squad to Dharamsala for their upcoming IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings.

Instead of joining the team, Hardik remained in Mumbai and continued rehabilitation training individually, raising fresh questions about his fitness and future availability this season.

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🩺 Why Hardik Pandya Missed the Trip

According to reports, Hardik is still recovering from:

• A back spasm injury

The all-rounder has already missed:

• Mumbai Indians’ last two matches

Although he joined the squad before MI’s high-profile game against:

• Royal Challengers Bengaluru

he was ultimately not included in the playing XI after reportedly failing to receive complete medical clearance.

Team doctors are said to be:

• Closely monitoring his recovery
• Avoiding any risk of aggravating the injury

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🏋️ Hardik Trains Alone in Mumbai

Hardik recently shared videos on Instagram showing him:

• Batting in the nets
• Facing throwdown specialists
• Practising against net bowlers

The visuals suggest:

• He has resumed light cricket activity
• Match fitness, however, remains uncertain

His decision to stay back in Mumbai while the squad travelled to Dharamsala has intensified speculation surrounding his recovery timeline.

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🔍 Social Media Activity Sparks More Speculation

Hardik’s absence has become an even bigger talking point because of recent social media developments.

Fans noticed that:

• He briefly unfollowed the Mumbai Indians Instagram account before following it again.

This incident had already fueled rumours of:

• Internal tensions
• Possible disagreements within the franchise

Now, with Hardik training separately from the squad, discussions around a possible rift have resurfaced online.

However, sources indicate:

• He may still join the team later before the matchday if declared fit.

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🏏 Suryakumar Yadav Also Absent From Travel Squad

Another major absentee from the MI travel group was:

• Suryakumar Yadav

Unlike Hardik, Suryakumar’s absence is reportedly due to:

• Personal reasons following the birth of his child

He is still expected to:

• Join the squad later

Notably, Suryakumar has been leading Mumbai Indians in Hardik’s absence.

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📉 Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 Campaign Falls Apart

The injury setbacks come during a disappointing season for Mumbai Indians.

Current situation:

• 8 defeats in 11 matches
• Eliminated from playoff contention
• Positioned near the bottom of the points table

Despite expectations from senior players, MI struggled badly throughout the campaign.

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😟 Senior Stars Fail to Deliver

Several experienced players have failed to make a major impact this season, including:

• Jasprit Bumrah
• Suryakumar Yadav

Meanwhile:

• Tilak Varma showed flashes of brilliance but lacked consistency.

Hardik himself had earlier hinted that:

• The franchise may need major changes or an overhaul moving forward.

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🤔 Will Hardik Pandya Play Against Punjab Kings?

As of now:

• No official confirmation has been provided regarding his availability.

Possible scenarios:

• He could join the squad later if medically cleared
• MI may continue to rest him given their playoff elimination

Considering Mumbai are already out of the playoff race, the management may avoid rushing their captain back into action.

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🧠 Final Takeaway

The continued absence of Hardik Pandya has become one of the biggest talking points surrounding Mumbai Indians this season.

With injury concerns, social media speculation, leadership uncertainty and poor team performances all combining together, Mumbai’s IPL 2026 campaign has turned into one of the franchise’s most disappointing seasons in recent years.