Hardik Pandya’s absence raises concerns ahead of Mumbai Indians’ clash against Lucknow Super Giants, with the MI captain set to miss another IPL 2026 game. As the tournament enters a crucial phase, the all-rounder’s fitness has now become a new concern for the franchise.

In his absence, Suryakumar Yadav steps in to lead MI, This is the second time this season that Pandya has missed a game. Although MI did not provide complete clarity initially, the situation became clear as updates emerged during and after the match.

MI vs LSG: highlighted | Achievement:

Speaking after MI’s win, opening batsman Ryan Rickelton admitted that even the players were not fully aware of the severity of the issue.

“I don’t know when he’s expected to be back. I found out this afternoon that he has back spasms, so I’m unaware of the severity of it. I don’t want to call it an injury; I’m unaware of how bad it is or what he’s feeling. But I’m sure he’ll be with the group again when we go to Raipur this week,” Rickelton said.

The update suggests that although the injury is not being considered a long-term setback, there is still no definite timeline for Pandya’s return.

Why didn’t Hardik Pandya play MI vs LSG?

Mumbai Indians confirmed before the match that Pandya was unavailable due to back spasms.

The issue reportedly came to light closer to the game, with MI stating that the all-rounder was “unwell”, leading to Suryakumar taking over the captaincy duties. This was the second match that Pandya has missed this season, before which he sat out the match against Delhi Capitals.

Back spasms, although not always serious, can be difficult to manage, especially for an all-rounder who contributes with both bat and ball. As things stand, Mumbai Indians are expected to take a cautious approach before sending their captain back into the playing eleven.

How did MI beat LSG?

Despite missing their captain, MI produced one of their most complete performances of the season.

LSG made a strong score of 228 runs for 5 wickets with the help of Nicholas Pooran’s 63 runs on 21 balls, Mitchell Marsh’s 44 runs and Himmat Singh’s unbeaten 40 runs.

However, MI made light work of the chase.

A strong partnership of 143 runs between Ryan Rickelton (83 runs off 32 balls) and Rohit Sharma (84 runs off 44 balls) put the game away early. Even a slight glitch in the middle overs didn’t manage to derail the target and MI reached 229 with eight balls to spare.

The win helped MI break their losing streak, but with the team still placed ninth with three wins from ten matches, getting Pandya back fit could be crucial for any final push. IPL 2026.

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