hardik pandya After fans noticed that the all-rounder had apparently unfollowed Mumbai Indians (MI) on Instagram after the franchise was eliminated from the Indian Premier League (IPL) IPL 2026 playoff race, he once again found himself at the center of intense speculation on social media.
The online conversation started soon after MI's defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Raipur on May 10, a result of which officially ended their hopes of reaching the playoffs. Soon after the match, fans claimed that 150 accounts are being followed on Hardik's Instagram profile, but Mumbai Indians is missing from that list.
The situation quickly went viral on social media platforms, with many supporters linking the apparent unfollow to rumors of tension within the franchise following another disappointing IPL campaign. However, the speculation took another turn a few minutes later when fans noticed that the number of followed accounts had gone back up to 151 and MI had reappeared in Hardik's following list.
The change may have been temporary or accidental, but it immediately became a major talking point due to the ongoing investigation into Hardik's return to MI ahead of IPL 2024. His appointment as captain in place of Rohit Sharma had divided opinion among fans, and every setback involving the team since then has attracted significant attention online.
This season proved to be another disappointing season for both Hardik and Mumbai Indians. The five-time champions struggled to build momentum and were unable to maintain consistency throughout the tournament. Hardik himself faced a tough campaign with both bat and ball and could manage only 146 runs and four wickets in eight matches.
Injuries also disrupted his season. The MI captain missed several matches due to back spasms, including crucial matches against Lucknow Super Giants and RCB. During his absence, Suryakumar Yadav stepped in as the acting captain.
Despite the disappointing results, reports suggest that the Mumbai Indians management is still supportive of Hardik's leadership and does not see captaincy alone as the reason for the team's struggles.
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